Japanese Knotweed Cardigan Treatment and Control by Experts- Green Leaf Remediation

Do you think you might have Knotweed at your property?

Have you read on the internet how this is likely to set you back £1,000’s?

Have you been told how it can affect your mortgage or potential to sell your home?

Green Leaf Remediation offers services for the treatment and control of Knotweed, and be reassured it does not cost as much as you might think. Contact us on 01269 591651 or 07531142316 if you think you may have Japanese Knotweed Cardigan and one of our experts can answer any questions you may have.

Japanese Knotweed is a perennial weed that grows and advances quickly if not managed. The weed suppresses other plant life growing close to it from the crown and rhizomes (root system) which spread extensively below ground. The shoots die out above ground in winter and re-emerge above ground once more at the end of spring, early summer. Any effectively-established shoots can grow in excess of 9ft high and may colonize the soil within a few years and sometimes months. There are plenty of articles that say you can eliminate the roots with chemical substances, however, you will need an NPTC qualified company to utilise any chemical substances due to new legislation which covers the control, and removal of Knotweed.

Removing Knotweed Cardigan

There are plenty of misconceptions that say you can remove Knotweed by hand, however, it is really an extremely hard and intricate process and usually, not successful unless you use a Japanese Knotweed specialist. In the height of the growing season, 60% of the Knotweed plant is its roots below ground so removal is very challenging and it spreads wildly from one tiny fragment of crown or rhizome. Removing Knotweed material without significant knowledge has a very high chance of dispersing the plant to other areas of the soil which were previously unaffected.

How do you eradicate Knotweed Cardigan?

There are many different methods of removing Knotweed Cardigan and a Knotweed Specialist will be able to advise you of the best and most effective approach.

Stem-Injection Method for Knotweed Cardigan is a low impact approach to removal and there is little potential for disturbing or killing the plants and flowers growing around it. The stem injection method is normally used for smaller areas of Knotweed where it has established itself amongst plants and vegetation that you might want to keep. It’s also a method frequently applied when Knotweed is in close proximity to a watercourse. The stem injection approach can be used in dry or inclement weather conditions and the soil cannot be disturbed following a treatment.

Foliar Spray Application for Knotweed Cardigan is often employed and is amongst the most favourable control methods along with stem-injection. The technique is used to treat the Knotweed over several growing seasons. Determined by how big the area of Knotweed is it is frequently sprayed 2-3 times in the first year and once in the subsequent years. The chemical used is an Environment Agency approved herbicide and needs dry weather and the soil to remain undisturbed in the following years in order to work.

Weed Wiping Method for Knotweed Cardigan is where the leaves of the plant are wiped with a sponge which is soaked with the required herbicide. It is a low impact treatment and does not kill or disturb the foliage adjoining it, even so, its use depends upon the size of the area of knotweed.

Bund/Stockpiling Method for Knotweed Cardigan is a combined treatment using stem-injection or foliar application, then digging up the underground material and removing the soil and material to a different location where the emergence of ‘new shoots’ can be subjected to further herbicide application. This technique is used on sites where you need the removal of the knotweed to be fast and not done over several seasons so is therefore especially beneficial to building plots and development sites as work can proceed without delay.

Cell Burial/Root Barrier Method for Knotweed Cardigan is a treatment applied when there is adequate space on site to create a cell burial or making use of a root barrier to avoid the substantial expenses of transporting the soil and waste to landfill. Cell burial buries the Knotweed waste to a minimum depth, or if encapsulated inside a geomembrane it can be closer to the surface of the ground. Root barriers can be installed both vertically and horizontally when there is a risk of cross-boundary contamination. Again, a method quite often used on development sites when building work needs to start promptly.

Excavation & Removal Off-Site for Knotweed Cardigan is a legitimate and quick control option that has its advantages for development sites if performed correctly, having said that, a great deal of Knotweeds Industry Professionals are not advocates of it as it raises significant logistical problems. The challenges being it comes with an extremely high risk of the Knotweed spreading as well as the cost to safely transport the material to a designated landfill site. There is also a considerable duty of care requirements under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990. To conclude Excavation & Removal must only be used as a last resort.

Is Knotweed Poisonous to Dogs, Cats and People?

Essentially, Japanese Knotweed is not poisonous and harmful to dogs, cats, people or any other animals like some other very invasive plants. It’s not harmful to touch, however, always use extreme care when near it to avoid inadvertently allowing it to spread.

Japanese Knotweed would probably be referred to as ‘poisonous’ by developers and homeowners due to its very invasive growth, a capability to spread from a tiny particle left and how difficult it is to eliminate fully.

Some Knotweed Common Myths (a few of which are exploited by a few companies for financial gain)

• “It will grow through solid concrete”

• “It will destabilise foundations”

• “It will cause structural damage”

• Property affected by Japanese Knotweed is not mortgageable

Essentially, if the previous groundwork or construction has been completed to an acceptable standard then Knotweed will not grow ‘through solid concrete’, it will not destabilise solid foundations and it is highly unlikely to ‘cause’ architectural damage. In truth, these claims are inaccurate, to say the least, and perhaps, entirely bogus.

Nevertheless, in a few instances, if your foundations or concrete are old, poorly built and have pre-existing cracks or fractures within, then Knotweed will certainly make use of any weak point in its quest for light and water and definitely will swiftly establish itself, whilst exacerbating the original crack and possibly cause the structure to disintegrate.

About Green Leaf Remediation

Green Leaf Remediation Specialists cover the whole of South Wales (including Cardigan, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport), West Wales up to North Ceredigion & Powys and throughout South Glamorgan & Gwent. Additionally, we carry out contracts in the West Country, as far North as Shropshire and into the Midlands & Birmingham areas.

We are a fully qualified Japanese Knotweed Certificated Surveyor (JKCS), family run business We specialise in managing Japanese Knotweed, other invasive plant species and ‘general nuisance weeds’ that are found in the UK for residential premises and land development sites.

We also offer tree services, such as pollarding, crowning, pruning, felling, through our NPTC chainsaw operators, all of whom possess a vast amount of practical experience within the forestry industry.

Our Qualifications & Accreditations incorporate:

• City & Guilds NPTC Level 2

• Principles of Safe Handling & Application of Pesticides (PA1/ PA6)

• Principles of Safe Handling & Application of Pesticides near water (PA6AW)

• Herbicide Stem-Injection

• Property Care Association

• The Control & Eradication of Japanese Knotweed Surveyor’s Training Course

• Qualified Technician (PCAQT) in Japanese Knotweed

• Accredited Surveyor in Japanese Knotweed

While there are several companies who operate within the UK weed control industry who are respectable, knowledgeable and thorough experts, you can find there are many companies who claim to have the experience, qualifications and accreditations to ‘eradicate’/eliminate’ Japanese Knotweed at a low cost, we would recommend anyone to exercise caution and to ensure that the contractor/business you enlist to undertake the control programme are qualified to do so and that they adhere to the knotweed industry codes of practice.

Give us a call on 01269 591651 or 07531142316 and one of our experts can answer any queries you may have and also arrange a site visit.