DIY JAPANESE KNOTWEED TREATMENT
Getting Rid of Japanese Knotweed Yourself
Japanese Knotweed is a difficult and tenacious plant, and getting rid of it can be a complicated and time-consuming process, not to mention an expensive one. This means that even if you do try DIY Japanese Knotweed removal, you will not necessarily succeed. If left untreated, it will spread quickly and can cause damage to foundations and buildings.
Getting rid of Japanese Knotweed is not easy, and the best solution is to contact a professional removal company as soon as you have identified it on your property. This will provide you with the peace of mind that the problem will be tackled, and you no longer have to stress. If you are considering getting rid of it yourself, here are a few things you need to know before carrying out your DIY treatment, to ensure that you will not fail, and do not cause damage to surrounding plants.
Remove Japanese Knotweed as soon as possible — Japanese Knotweed can grow up to 10 cm a day with roots burrowing down as deep as 3 metres. For this reason, it is important to get started on removing it as soon as possible.
Different types of Japanese Knotweed treatment — No infestation of Japanese Knotweed is the same, for this reason, professionals will carry out Japanese Knotweed surveys, to find out the most appropriate solution. Different solutions for removing Japanese Knotweed include herbicide treatment, stem injection, excavating infected areas of ground with machinery, or a Japanese Knotweed root barrier to halt the spread of the irksome weed.
Eradicate the roots completely — Once removed, Japanese Knotweed needs to be disposed of to ensure it can’t regrow. An Off-site burial can be expensive since the soil is classified as controlled waste in the UK, a sifting and screening service removes fragments of the root and rhizomes from the soil, which means less waste and a lower cost.
DIY Japanese Knotweed removal using herbicide treatment
Herbicidal treatments are an effective way of removing Japanese Knotweed from areas that are not ecologically sensitive. It is important to be aware of this before carrying out DIY Japanese Knotweed removal. In more sensitive areas, stem injection methods can be used; injecting the herbicide directly is less risky to the environment and to neighbouring plants, and is particularly useful when eradicating plants near water.
Once the herbicide has been applied and absorbed down to the rhizome, the weed cannot regrow. However, herbicide treatments can take up to 24 months to complete. Which may be extremely inconvenient when time is of the essence.
While removing Japanese Knotweed yourself is possible, it can be difficult, and if you don’t remove every last trace, it can grow back and spread even further. For this reason, we suggest contacting a professional Japanese Knotweed removal company, instead of opting for DIY Japanese Knotweed removal.
Dangers of Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed is one of the world’s worst invasive plant species (as classified by the World Conservation Union). And while not harmful to humans, its potential for damage comes from its invasive roots and fast growth rate. In ideal circumstances, Japanese Knotweed can grow up to 10cm a day, and as it spreads it can damage hard surfaces, like concrete, tarmac, and brick walls.
Japanese Knotweed is a voracious plant and needs to be identified and removed as quickly as possible to prevent further growth and damage. It is a criminal offence to let Japanese Knotweed spread to neighbouring properties, and if left untreated, it will spread quickly, causing costly damage as it goes. The urgency of removing this invasive weed makes opting for DIY Japanese Knotweed treatment incredibly risky when compared to enlisting in professionals.
Japanese Knotweed Specialists
Japanese Knotweed Specialists offers a secure and thorough service to eliminate the weed and guarantee it won’t return.
Japanese Knotweed surveys — To ensure that Japanese Knotweed is removed thoroughly and efficiently and with minimal environmental impact, our specialists conduct a full on-site survey. This allows for the most appropriate removal method to be identified.
Knotweed monitoring and aftercare — After removing the pernicious plant, it is important to monitor the affected areas to ensure they are clear of rhizomes. This is something you may not consider when carrying out DIY Japanese Knotweed treatment. During cold weather, it is possible for the still-living roots to lie dormant and start growing again as the weather warms up. On larger sites, we can offer bespoke aftercare plans as part of your Japanese Knotweed removal.
Japanese Knotweed guarantees — To ensure peace of mind after work has been completed, our removal processes come with a 5, 10, or even 35-year Japanese Knotweed guarantee. We are the first company to offer a 35-year guarantee. This is sufficient to cover the length of your mortgage and will satisfy lenders, meaning your purchase or sale can go ahead without disruption. This will provide you with increased peace of mind when compared with DIY Japanese Knotweed removal.
Our guarantees are independently written and approved by the Invasive Weed Group of the Property Care Association (PCA) and are recognised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
While treating Japanese Knotweed yourself is possible and it may save you money, it’s important to remember that to get guarantee which will satisfy buyers and mortgage lender, you will need a certificate from a professional Japanese Knotweed company that they have treated the area and removed all trace of the irksome weed.
To book a survey or for any of our Japanese Knotweed solutions, please contact a member of our experienced team on 0800 122 3326 or contact us here.