Japanese Knotweed Llandovery Treatment and Control by (SW) Green Leaf Remediation Experts

Do you think you might have Knotweed at your property? Have you read online how this will set you back £1,000’s? Have you read it could impact your mortgage or ability to sell your own home? Don’t worry! Green Leaf Remediation Specialists can provide expert services for the treatment and management of Japanese Knotweed Llandovery, and be reassured it won’t cost you as much as you might think.

What you need to know about Japanese Knotweed Llandovery

• Japanese Knotweed is a perennial weed that will grow and spreads speedily if not controlled
• It can sometimes be referred to as Bamboo or Peashooters
• The weed suppresses all the other plants and flowers growing around it from the crown and rhizomes (root system) that spread extensively underground
• The shoots die off above ground in winter and re-emerge above ground again at the end of springtime, early summer
• Any effectively-established shoots can grow more than 9ft high and can colonize the soil within a few years
• There are several articles that say you are able to kill the roots with chemical substances, however, you will need an NPTC qualified person to make use of any chemical substances as a result of new legislation which covers the management, and removal of Knotweed
• In the height of the growing season, 60% of the Knotweed plant is its roots below ground so removal is quite challenging and it spreads wildly from one tiny fragment of crown or rhizome
• There are plenty of misconceptions that say you can remove Knotweed by hand yourself, however, it is an extremely hard and complicated process and frequently, not successful unless you use a knotweed expert.
• Removing Knotweed material without considerable knowledge carries a high chance of spreading the plant to other regions of the soil which were previously unaffected
• Japanese Knotweed isn’t toxic and harmful to dogs, cats, people or any other animals like some other highly invasive plants. It’s not harmful to touch, nevertheless, use extreme caution when in close proximity to it to avoid unintentionally allowing it to spread.  Japanese Knotweed can be referred to as ‘poisonous’ by developers and homeowners due to its very invasive growth, its capability to spread from a tiny particle left and how difficult it is to remove fully

Japanese Knotweed Myths

• It will grow through solid concrete
• It will destabilise foundations
• It will cause structural damage
• Property affected by Japanese Knotweed is not mortgageable

Japanese Knotweed Facts

Essentially, if the previous groundwork or construction of a property has been performed to a sufficient standard then Knotweed is not going to grow ‘through solid concrete’.

It will not destabilise solid foundations and it is highly unlikely to ‘cause’ architectural damage. The fact is, these claims are inaccurate, to say the least, and in many cases, entirely untrue.

If your foundations or concrete are old, inadequately built and have pre-existing cracks or fractures within, then Knotweed will unquestionably make use of any weak point in its quest for light and water and will rapidly establish itself, whilst exacerbating the original fracture and possibly cause the structure to disintegrate.

How is Japanese Knotweed Llandovery Removed and Controlled?

There are many different methods of removing Japanese Knotweed and a Knotweed Expert will be able to give you advice on the best and most efficient method. Here are the commonly used ones:

Stem-Injection is a low impact method of removal and there is little risk of disturbing or killing the plants growing about it. The stem-injection technique is normally used for smaller areas of Knotweed where it has established itself between plants and vegetation that you might want to maintain. It is also a method typically used when Knotweed is in close proximity to a watercourse. The stem-injection technique can be used in dry or inclement weather conditions and the soil can’t be disturbed following a treatment.

Foliar Spray Application is often used and is amongst the most favourable control methods as well as stem-injection. The process can be used to manage the Knotweed over a number of 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 conditions as well as the soil to remain undisturbed in the following years in order for it to work.

Weed Wiping Method is where the leaves of the plant are wiped with a sponge that’s soaked with the necessary herbicide. It is a low impact treatment method and does not kill or bother the foliage adjoining it, nonetheless, its use depends upon the size of the area of knotweed.

Bund/Stockpiling Method is a combined treatment using stem-injection or foliar application, followed by digging up the underground material and removing the soil and materials to a different location where the emergence of ‘new shoots’ can be subjected to further herbicide application. This approach is used on sites where you need the removal of the knotweed to be fast and not done over several seasons so is consequently especially good for building plots of land and development sites as work can carry on straight away.

Cell Burial/Root Barrier Method is a treatment employed if you have adequate space on site to make a cell burial or making use of a root barrier to avert the considerable expense of transporting the soil and waste to landfill. Cell burial buries the Knotweed waste to a minimum depth, or if encapsulated within a geo-membrane 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, an approach which is generally used on development sites when construction work has to start immediately.

Excavation & Removal Off-Site is a legitimate and quick control option which has its advantages for development sites if done correctly, however, a lot of Knotweeds Professionals aren’t advocates of it as it raises significant logistical obstacles. The challenges being there is a higher than normal chance of the Knotweed spreading and also the cost involved to securely transport the material to a designated landfill site. There is also the significant duty of care requirements under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990. To conclude Excavation & Removal must only be used as an absolute last resort.

Green Leaf Remediation Specialists in Llandovery

Green Leaf Remediation Specialists covers the whole of South Wales ( including Llandovery, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport), West Wales up to North Ceredigion & Powys and throughout South Glamorgan & Gwent. Additionally, we also 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 and controlling Japanese Knotweed, other invasive plant species and ‘general nuisance weeds’ that are found in the United Kingdom 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 experience in the forestry industry.

Green Leaf Remediation Qualifications & Accreditations

• 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

Whilst there are several contractors who operate within the United Kingdom weed control industry who are respectable, knowledgeable and thorough experts, you will find regrettably there are lots of businesses who claim to have the experience, qualifications and accreditations to ‘eradicate’/ ‘eliminate’ Japanese Knotweed at a low cost. However, we would recommend anyone to exercise caution and to ensure the service provider/company you enlist to carry out the control programme are qualified to do so and that they adhere to the industry codes of practice.

If you think you might have Japanese Knotweed Llandovery then contact us on 01269 591651 or 07531142316 and one of our experts can answer any questions you may have and also arrange a free site visit to assess your property.