A housing association has come under fire after it allowed a Japanese knotweed plant to encroach on a neighbouring garden. Here's the full story...

The owner of a home in Peckham contacted his lawyer after spotting some Japanese knotweed emerging on his property. He had owned the terraced house for over 32 years and identified the invasive weed making its way into his garden.

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When Japanese knotweed is found on or near properties, it can pose an array of potentially expensive problems for a number of different parties. Firstly, homeowners who spot knotweed near their property may begin to worry about its far-reaching and invasive rhizomes growing through buildings and foundations causing structural damage.

Secondly, estate agents worry as Japanese knotweed near properties may pose a risk to potential sales. And lastly, property developers fear unbudgeted costs due to Japanese knotweed treatment and site delays if the plant is not dealt with properly from the very start.

With all of these potential problems, it comes to no surprise that many people take to dealing with Japanese knotweed themselves. However, as knotweed becomes more problematic due to its ability to spread easily if managed incorrectly, much legislation on the management and removal of knotweed now exists. One of the most commonly asked questions surrounding knotweed and its removal is "can Japanese knotweed be burnt?"

To make things easy to understand, the experts here at Total Weed Control are here to tell you.

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It is agreed amongst professionals and experts that the invasive plant Japanese knotweed can cause problems to homes and properties as a result of its ability to grow and spread at an alarming rate. But can Japanese knotweed cause subsidence? Total Weed Control is here to help you find out! 

Before we can look into whether knotweed can cause subsidence, we must first try to understand what subsidence means. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the term subsidence means 'the process by which land or buildings sink to a lower level'. Therefore, the understanding is whether Japanese knotweed possesses the ability to cause lands or buildings to sink, leading to extreme structural damage.

Many varying opinions exist on this topic, with some arguing that knotweed does cause subsidence and some arguing that it doesn't. We're here to offer our professional opinion on the matter to try and answer the questions as best we can as well as letting you know how Total Weed Control can help if you've spotted knotweed on or near your property and are worried about the potential damage it can cause.

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You probably already know that Japanese knotweed is a big problem here in the UK. But can this invasive plant species be found all over Great Britain, or is its growth concentrated in specific areas?

Photo by dankogreen (Flickr)

According to gardenorganic.org.uk, Japanese knotweed was initially "most prevalent in South Wales, perhaps due to the moist climate, but it is now widespread throughout the UK". As we mentioned in a previous blog post, South Wales is still - to this day - one of the UK's key Japanese knotweed hotspots, alongside cities like London and Bristol.

Japanese Knotweed Removal in South Wales >>

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Salt is very versatile - it can make virtually any meal taste better - but sadly, there are some problems that salt can't solve.

You may have heard that salt can be used to kill garden weeds, and there is some truth to that. Applying salt to an unwanted plant can cause the plant to dehydrate and ultimately die.

But should you actually try this? The RHS don't recommend it: "The use of bleach or salt to kill weed on paths and drives is strongly discouraged, as this can cause pollution and damage plants."

Besides, Japanese knotweed is no run-of-the-mill garden weed. It takes a lot to eradicate this invasive species once and for all - a mere sprinkling of salt just won't do it!

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