Commercial

Bamboo is a highly invasive plant that, when not potted or planted correctly, can quickly spread over lawns, killing off flowerbeds or garden features. 

The fast-growing and forceful root systems of running bamboo can penetrate through paving slabs, patios, stone pathways and even permanent structures like cavity walls and floor voids. If your bamboo is near drainage systems, the roots can break into the pipework, causing damage to not only your property, but potentially the local area.

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As bamboo is not listed as an invasive species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, you are free to plant it as you wish. However, you should plant bamboo with caution, using a root barrier, or placing it in a pot.

In recent years, encroachment cases of plants coming over boundary lines have increased in small claims courts. Therefore, whilst you can plant bamboo, it’s best to really consider how you plant it to ensure you don’t end up with a boundary dispute.

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Yes, but it is important to follow these steps:

• If you are controlling the growth yourself, make sure you are cutting the stems and leaves off the plant.
• Leave it out to dry (preferably on plastic material to prevent regrowth) and let it die, before burning it.
• You must burn the plant on site in your garden and must not move it onto any other land, to riverbanks or the countryside, otherwise you could face fines and the offence in some cases carries a prison sentence.

You should not consider disposing of Japanese Knotweed yourself. It is very important to remember:

• Under no circumstances can you dispose of Japanese Knotweed in your compost, recycling, or waste bins, due to its fast spreading and growing nature.
• It is classed as ‘controlled waste’ under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and requires disposal by a licensed waste carrier, who will ensure it is disposed of at a licensed landfill site.

The most effective herbicide is Glyphosate as the plant’s leaves carry the herbicide right down to the roots. This will exhaust the root system and reduce the plant’s ability to regenerate itself. Don’t fall into the DIY trap – some herbicides actually induce root dormancy and make any subsequent treatment more difficult and possibly more costly.

The trouble with eliminating Japanese Knotweed yourself is that it grows so fast. Leaving just a root the size of a fingernail is enough for the native plant to start growing again.

• An aggressive control and treatment regime is necessary to eradicate the plant completely.
• If you try to dig out the plant, aim to get as much root out as possible and repeatedly destroy regrowth, as this will reduce the energy reserves in the root – however it may still take a few seasons to destroy it.
• Do not strim or mow the plant as it will cause the plant to spread and grow around your garden and even into your next door neighbour’s garden, as the roots are highly regenerative.
• It is recommended that you use an herbicide weed killer to effectively get rid of the plant.
  

This is dependent upon the lender, as some will reject a mortgage application outright if you have Japanese Knotweed on your property. Some lenders will rely upon the surveyor’s report to determine whether it poses a significant risk to the property and the chances of selling it in the future.

However, it is important to remember:

• Most lenders will demand a professional eradication, complete with a guarantee against the plant’s return, before making a mortgage offer.
• The lender may also require the buyer to provide written confirmation that they are happy to proceed with the purchase of the house.

Yes, you will probably still see the plant in your garden. Due to the size and regenerative quality of the underground roots, it takes up to three years to fully eradicate Japanese Knotweed. If you’re using herbicides, you should start to see deterioration in the plant. If not, seek professional help.

Once you have identified Japanese Knotweed, it is important to do your utmost to control the invasive weed and make sure it doesn’t spread onto neighbouring properties. If you can’t control it, take photos and seek professional help as soon as possible. It’s important to remember:

• It is your legal responsibility to control and destroy the plant.
• You could be at risk of fines and legal claims against you if it spreads to neighbouring property.

No. Although it is very destructive, it is not poisonous or harmful to touch. The only risk of dealing with and touching the plant, is that you could cause it to spread further just by pulling it out.

Yes. Japanese Knotweed can cause subsidence, especially if your property has weak spots to begin with.

• The extensive roots cause ground movement as they grow, causing soil to shift.
• If Japanese Knotweed is within 7 metres of a habitable space and is causing damage to boundary walls, then it is a high risk situation and you should contact a reputable builder immediately.

• As the rhizomes of the plant grow deep underground, its extensive roots can penetrate into the foundations and walls of the house.
• It is not true the plant can grow through concrete, but it can force its way into the weak spots of buildings in its search for light and water and will grow through cracks, gradually prizing it apart. If you have a slight crack in your patio for example, it will be able to push its way through. If water can get through, so can Knotweed.
• Underground, as the roots search for water, Japanese Knotweed can crack or block underground drains, which can also cause havoc with your house.

If you suspect you have Japanese knotweed growing on your property, you need to identify it correctly. When looking to identify Japanese knotweed, look out for:  

• Heart or shovel-like leaves
• Creamy- white flowers visible in late summer
• Reddish-brown shoots in the ground that can be spotted in early spring

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• Usually the plant starts growing in early spring and by June it can reach 3 metres in height.
• It will carry on growing until autumn before dying off in the winter.
• The growing season can be extended with a mild winter and a warm, damp summer.

It is described by the Environment Agency as ‘indisputably the UK’s most aggressive, destructive and invasive plant’.

Here are the facts:

• It can grow 10cm a day (20cm at its most prolific).
• In just 10 weeks its stem can reach 3-4 metres (that’s the height of at least two human beings).
• Underground, the rhizomes – the mass of roots – are also growing and can spread up to 7 metres horizontally and 3 metres deep.

This is dependent upon the lender, as some will reject a mortgage application outright if you have Japanese Knotweed on your property. Some lenders will rely upon the surveyor’s report to determine whether it poses a significant risk to the property and the chances of selling it in the future.

This is dependent upon the lender, as some will reject a mortgage application outright if you have Japanese Knotweed on your property. Some lenders will rely upon the surveyor’s report to determine whether it poses a significant risk to the property and the chances of selling it in the future.

However, it is important to remember:

• Most lenders will demand a professional eradication, complete with a guarantee against the plant’s return, before making a mortgage offer.
• The lender may also require the buyer to provide written confirmation that they are happy to proceed with the purchase of the house.