A Welsh council’s decision to continue using a weed killer that has been linked causing cancer has been described as a ‘kick in the teeth for residents’.  

Torfaen council has decided to continue their use of a glyphosate-based weed killer on the invasive Japanese knotweed in a meeting this week, whilst continuing to monitor alternatives that are being developed. A motion to halt the use of the product and one to limit its use to preventing Japanese knotweed were both rejected before councillors voted to continue to continue using the glyphosate-based product.

A protest was organised out the council chamber in Pontypool ahead of the meeting, with campaigners urging council members not to vote for its continued use. In addition, around 700 people have signed a petition titled ‘stop spraying our towns with probable cancer-causing glyphosate’, which was presented to the council last year.

Councillor Fiona Cross who is a cabinet member for the environment said that there could be a ‘detrimental effect’ on the appearance of the county borough as well as structural issues if they were to stop using the weed killer without having a suitable alternative in place.

She also pointed out that the authority uses a low concentration substance which is endorsed by both the Welsh Government and European Union. Council leader Anthony Hunt backed up the previous statements saying the council must take a pragmatic approach but added that if a ‘better alternative’ was to become available, then the council ‘should look to use that.’

Independent councillor David Thomas, on the other hand, stated that the council should not take ‘unnecessary risks’ by using the weed killer and called for it to be scrapped. Councillor Elizabeth Haynes put forward a motion for the authority to stop using the product but an amended version was voted down. A second motion was proposed by Conservative councillor Huw Bevan, which called for the council to continue using the weed killer but not in ‘high public footfall’ areas.

Cllr Bevan said he understood there is ‘no other effective treatment’ for the invasive weed, but called for the authority to further limit the product’s use elsewhere. This motion was also rejected.

Campaigner Terry Banfield said the decision is a “total kick in the teeth for residents.”

Professional Knotweed Removal

Here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we provide professional knotweed removal services that eradicate the presence of Japanese knotweed from your premises. Depending on the severity of your infestation, we offer two types of treatment plans; herbicide application programmes or excavation and removal programmes – both of which are conducted in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. Click below to learn more.

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For more information on our professional knotweed services, be sure to get in touch with a member of the Taylor Total Weed Control team today!

A warning has been recently issued regarding a destructive ‘hybrid’ plant, known as Bohemian knotweed produced as a result of cross-fertilisation between Japanese knotweed and Giant knotweed.

The Property Care Association (PCA) says reports of the hybrid plants are on the rise. Also known as Hybrid knotweed, the plant could become a real concern if it gains a foothold nationally.

Dr Peter Fitzimons, group technical manager of the PCA’s Invasive Weed Control Group stated: “Bohemian knotweed, although less common, has been around for almost as long as the better-known Japanese knotweed, but is not always recognised.”

“As a result, it has remained largely below the radar, but the reason for concern is that these hybrid plants can be even more vigorous than the parent plants.”

“We also need to be alert as, in other parts of the world where Hybrid knotweed is more common, they are seeing signs of fertile seed production, known as backcrossing.”

“If so, this could be a major concern for the future as the existence of seed-producing hybrid knotweeds may enable these plants to spread even more rapidly.”

Listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, Japanese, Giant and Hybrid knotweed are all deemed as invasive and potentially destructive plants. They are steadily becoming more of a nuisance to home and business owners up and down the country because of their ability to spread quickly via their rhizome network.

Fitzsimons added that “since the PCA formed the Invasive Weed Control Group in 2012, we’ve always maintained the position that whilst this plant is disruptive around buildings it can be brought under control using established techniques and processes.”

“However, its presence can impact on the ability to gain a mortgage and on the development cost of land. More research is needed to see what the impact is of Bohemian knotweed, but for now, we should be aware of the issue.”

If you have spotted Bohemian, Giant or Japanese knotweed near your home, and like many homeowners in the UK are worried about the potential impact these invasive plants can have on your property. Then please do not risk it and get in touch with us here at Taylor Total Weed Control.

We provide professional, effective weed control services that ensure knotweed is completely eradicated. You can find our range of knotweed treatment plans below.

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For more information on Bohemian knotweed, invasive plants or our treatment plans, then please do not hesitate to contact us today!

Are you asking yourself the question - "can I grow bamboo in my garden?" You're in the right place, today we're going to answer all of your bamboo growing questions!

British homeowners are being warned to not grow bamboo in their garden due to the potential dangers that the oriental plant can bring, with experts likening the effects of bamboo to the notorious Japanese knotweed.

Due to its screening capabilities and use within outdoor privacy measure, bamboo is an extremely popular choice for homeowners up and down the country, particularly within urban areas. However, its abilities to become highly invasive and out of control mean it can cause unpredictable and irreversible damage. Which, unfortunately, was the case for one homeowner in Reading.

The unnamed homeowner was forced to unearth her entire garden after bamboo grew to several metres in height and began to spread right across her garden towards her property, damaging her patio in the process.

Various forms of bamboo exist, namely ‘clumping’ and running’ that can have negative effects on surrounding areas. In this case, the ‘running’ bamboo found within the homeowner’s garden started to grow a large network of root and ‘rhizomes’, wreaking havoc on the property.

The rhizomes of bamboo are capable of spreading up to 30ft and if left untreated, can spread across and invade neighbouring property posing a huge threat to the foundations of homes.

Just like Japanese knotweed, bamboo has the ability to strangle plots of land as a result of its capability to damage property, breach brick, patios and cause cracks in concrete. It is known to thrive in a variety of soils, environments and temperatures with little to no maintenance.

Experts have stated that if you do choose to house bamboo on your property to make sure you choose a clumping variety as opposed to the running types. It is also a good idea to ‘place it within a pot or bed which is lined with strong vertical root barrier designed to contain bamboo.’

A retired couple from Reading has said they were mis-sold their bamboo by a local nursery, stating they were promised it would not grow further than waist height and would not spread. However, the bamboo shot up and out damaging both the patio and approaching house.

Professional Removal Services

So to answer your question - "can I grow bamboo in my garden?" The answer is yes, but do so with caution! If you're worried about the effects of spreading bamboo, you might want to avoid growing it. However, Japanese knotweed is infinitely more concerning if it appears in your garden!

To ensure you’re not affected by the damaging effects of bamboo or Japanese knotweed, contact us to talk about professional removal. If you have spotted bamboo or knotweed on or near your property and want to act fast before major damage can be caused, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the Taylor Total Weed Control team. We have a number of treatment plans available for you to choose from.

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The infographic below provides a brief overview of all the common lawn weeds that we have come across throughout South Wales and the South West over the years. Some are more damaging and more difficult to get rid of than others, so we have provided essential information about each that you will need to know! 

Infographic Transcript 

Ephemeral Weeds

This weed type tends to have more than one life cycle per year, therefore ordinary weed killers are not particularly effective. The word ‘ephemeral’ means transitory or quickly fading, referring to the unique growth strategies exhibited by these types of weeds. In each of these growing strategies, the ephemeral weed has a life cycle timed to exploit a short period when specific resources are freely available such as low waters and wet periods.

Groundsel

• Grows 5-22cm high
• Lobed leaves & small yellow flowers
• Sets seed within 4-6 weeks
• Seeds germinate throughout the year apart from midwinter

Hairy Bittercress

• Compact plant growing 3-5cm high
• Tiny white flowers
• Sets seeds within 4-6 weeks
• Weed of cool moist conditions – improving drainage will help control

Chickweed

• Grows 5-7cm high
• Vigorous spreading habit with small white flowers and an extensive root system
• One of the most common ephemeral weeds
• Set seeds quickly – germinate easily in damp soil

Annual Weeds

These types of weed grow and flower in a short period of time. They tend to seed in the winter and come back throughout various times in the year, living for only one season, hence why they are given the name ‘annual’. The trigger for these types of weeds often come from a few wet days during Spring. Take a look a some of the most common annual weeds below.

Fat Hen

• Grows up to 27cm high
• Broad leaves with small indistinct green/white flowers
• Found on rich soil – seedlings germinate in dense patches
• Seeds persist for a long time and will germinate readily

Yellow Oxalis

• Grows around 5cm high but it a prolific seeder
• Seeds are dropped from barely visible pods before even noticing its presence
• Once present will multiply very quickly
• Often found in nursery plant pots

Prickly Milk Thistle

• Can grow up to 90cm high – often smaller
• Pale yellow flowers
• Seeds set in as little as four weeks if the plant is in a dry and shaded place
• Strong taproot, making it difficult to remove when established

Perennial Weeds

These types of weeds are persistent and prone to becoming more and more challenging as time goes on. Perennial weeds appear every year from the same plant and are difficult to get rid of. Many have deep roots which need to be removed but once this is done, smaller regrowth can be handled in an easier manner. These weeds have the ability to cause a great deal of disturbance to your lawn and garden.

Dandelion

• Can take 6-9 month to remove by digging out small roots
• Remove as much as parent root as possible to avoid the possibility of re-grow
• A common weed which spreads easily, they are valued for their medicinal properties and culinary use
• Leaves are diuretic which cleanses the liver, provide rich mineral content

Dock Leaf

• Look a lot more difficult to remove than they actually are
• Slicing through the tap root about 6 inches down and removing as much as possible will often stop it from re-growing
• Once seed heads mature, large clusters of brown seeds are produced – best burnt
• Friends as well as foe – Soothes skin stung by nettles by rubbing on affected area

Bramble

• Always look far more difficult to remove than they actually are
• Often grows with a tangle of long thorny stems
• Remove all stems initially and then remove the root
• Mulching helps after the ground has been cleared

These are just a selection of the common lawn weeds that you’re likely to find on your property.

If you do happen to come across any of these weeds or any other weeds that you may be unsure of, be sure to visit our website https://www.taylor-weed-control.co.uk/ for more information on our weed removal services!

If you're a homeowner or an individual that has recently bought a piece of land or maybe you're planning on buying some land to build on, it's important for you to be aware of the laws and legalities surrounding planning permission and everybody's favourite beast from the east, Japanese knotweed! 

As Japanese knotweed is classed as an intrusive plant here in the UK, there are a number of laws that surround the eastern Asian plant which may impact on your ability to extend your house or build one altogether. To make things a little clearer, let's take a look at some of these laws and what impact that may or may not have on your chances of gaining planning permission.

Planning Permission with Japanese Knotweed 

For individuals considering planning permission for their property, it is essential that the checks are conducted for the presence of Japanese knotweed. If carried out and there is a suspicion that the plant is present, it is vitally important that a survey is requested by an ecological surveyor. If its presence is then confirmed, a control programme suitable for the site in which the property sits will need to be planned as part of the planning application, which includes the safe removal of the knotweed. Planning conditions to ensure the control programme is performed sufficiently should be imposed.

Planning Conditions 

Planning conditions are imposed on sites where Japanese knotweed is known to be present in order to prevent the spread of the invasive plant, which under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an offence. Japanese knotweed is notorious for devaluing sites, as well as causing major structural damage to any buildings which may be developed on contaminated land. A management plan will need to be put into place which contains a number of the following things:

• The objective of control action 
• An assessment of control options
• Criteria for completion 
• Advice on preventing spread around site 

So, despite all of the hysteria surrounding Japanese knotweed, planning permission is still possible if found near your property! However, a stringent and effective plan to manage it must put into place before work can be carried out. 

If you have reason to believe that Japanese knotweed is present on your premises and require experienced professionals to assess and remove it, then do not hesitate to get in touch with Taylor Total Weed Control today for our expert Japanese knotweed removal services! 

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