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? Taylor 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 Taylor 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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The Environment Agency's Japanese knotweed code of practice was originally published in 2006. After several revisions, the publication was withdrawn on 11 July 2016:

"This guidance has been withdrawn from use because the Environment Agency no longer provides best practice guidance."

However, the Property Care Association - the UK's trade association for specialists who deal with problems that affect buildings - published its own code of practice in April 2018.

(Note that the PCA's code of practice is NOT the law. It is merely a document that explains the best practices for controlling Japanese knotweed. If you're looking for official government guidance and legislation, see gov.uk's page on how to stop invasive plants from spreading.)

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