Weeds in the garden are a pain, but weeds in public places can be downright dangerous. It's important for councils to stay on top of their weeds - not only is it unsightly when weeds start sprouting up through the cracks in the pavement, it's also a potential trip hazard.

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If you've been unlucky enough to find Japanese knotweed growing in your back garden, your first question may well be something along the lines of...

"How did THAT get there?!"

Unfortunately, Japanese knotweed has a knack for appearing as if from nowhere. This invasive plant is like a bad party guest - it usually shows up uninvited, and once it's made itself comfortable, it's very difficult to get rid of.

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SHORT ANSWER: Most commercially-available herbicides are ineffective when used on Japanese knotweed. Appropriate herbicides are required to get this invasive plant properly under control.

Japanese knotweed can be dealt with in several different ways, but treating the plant with herbicide is the most-used method. Herbicide application is less disruptive than excavation (which involves digging the plant up and either disposing of it at an approved landfill site or burying it in a geotextile membrane), and it's far more cost-effective as well. In general, we only recommend excavation when time is limited, e.g. when Japanese knotweed needs to be cleared ASAP so that a property sale can be finalised or so that building work can go ahead. Many sites are not suitable for excavation at all.

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You may be aware of the headaches that Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) can cause for homeowners unlucky enough to find it growing on their property. This pesky plant is notoriously hard to get rid of, and you can find yourself on the wrong side of the law if you help it to spread into the wild.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

But even if you already knew all that, the true scale of the UK's Japanese knotweed problem may stun you. This isn't a niche issue that only affects a handful of unfortunate landowners - according to a recent study led by Dr Ross Cuthbert of Queen's University Belfast, Japanese knotweed costs the UK economy a whopping £41 million every year. And that's a conservative estimate.

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Finding Japanese knotweed on your property can be alarming, especially if you've read those scary news articles about how much damage this invasive plant can cause and the amount it can knock off the value of your home.

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