Japanese Knotweed

A British electrical engineer has come up with an ingenious device which kills all weeds, including the dreaded Japanese knotweed. The device packs a real punch as it delivers 2500 volts straight into the weeds, instantly boiling the water in the plant cells and causing the plant to instantly wither and die. Although this invention is not available to the public, and is likely to never be put on the consumer market, it does show real inventiveness and offers a viable alternative to chemical plant sprays or the physical removal of troublesome weeds such as Japanese knotweed.

Currently, a Japanese knotweed contractor has limited choices when it comes to removing the weeds, and all of the current options are strictly controlled by UK laws. However if further tests are carried out on this device, it could prove to be a god send for any Japanese knotweed consultant or contractor. Currently, the real bug bear with knotweed is that the smallest piece of root or rhizome can quickly sprout into a new weed and spread as quickly as it did before. However if this prototype weed electrocution device proves as effective on weeds with an extensive root base as it is on smaller weeds, the rhizome problem could be completely eradicated making Japanese knotweed removal a much simpler and straight forward task.

Unfortunately, the device is reliant on using a high voltage coupled with a high current and when used incorrectly or inconsiderately, could easily kill a person in much the same way an electric chair does. The inventor has been trialling the device in his Derbyshire garden, but for additional safety he wears rubber gloves and rubber boots to help protect himself from the massive voltages and electrical currents involved. On top of that, the prospect of the device being used by amateur gardeners has already been ruled out, so unfortunately he's not going to be the next Clive Sinclair or Richard Dyson.

Saying that, the device could eventually be manufactured for use under licence which would be perfect for a Japanese knotweed contractor, assuming the warming effects of 2500 volts of high amp electricity does conduct throughout the knotweed's rhizome root base, destroying the plant completely. Licensing a device such as this would be great news for any Japanese knotweed consultant as it would make the control of the dreaded weed far easier, yet would keep its removal and elimination using such a device firmly in their hands.

Japanese knotweed Mortgage. Never heard of it? Well let me explain. The Japanese Knotwood plant is an invasive plant that has big Mortgage companies such as Barclays and Lloyd's of London refusing to finance home loans if this plant is present on the property. The Japanese Knotweed Plant is an ornamental species that has large heart shaped leaves and beautiful flowers. It can grow 3 feet in one month and can reach up to 12 feet in height when mature. The roots spread up to 20 feet. This species is so strong it can even push up through concrete. This is the main concern for lenders. The plant can cause structural damages.

Lenders are even refusing to consider a property if the plant so much as exists on bordering land, not even on the property itself. It is driving property values down. Some home-owners have reported that the lenders have told them their property is practically worthless. It is the most invasive plant species in Britain. So much so that it is even illegal to cause it to grow in the wild.
Because of the roots spreading so far the Environmental Protection Agency has classified any soil containing roots from the plant as "controlled waste" and must be disposed of in a licensed landfill and must be buried 15 feet deep. This is to ensure there is no regrowth of the roots.

A certified Japanese Knotweed Contractor is reporting more calls every week from home-owners that want to sell but cannot because their properties are suffering from Japanese Knotwood infestations. Many contractors claim that the Mortgage companies are over reacting. They claim the weed can be dealt with and eradicated successfully if treated properly. Japanese Knotweed London contractors claim the eradication is not easy and can take time, from weeks up to a few years to completely get rid of it. This is still not influencing the lenders to extend any loans on any property that has the Japanese Knotweed plant present.
Many home-owners are being told that their property values have decreased greatly and others report that they have been told that their property is worthless. There are a couple of successful ways to eradicate the Japanese Knotweed and scientist's have suggested introducing an insect that will kill off the plant naturally. It is understandable that lenders are reluctant to put mortgages on these properties that are infested. It is not just the immediate effects but they are looking at the long term consequences of the structural damages this plant causes. Either way the property owners seem to be the ones suffering the most.

Japanese knotweed refers to an invasive species of weeds, which quickly overwhelms other plants in a garden once it is established. The weed has an aggressive growth pattern, which is also capable of exposing weaknesses in structures such as brick walls, tarmac and concrete. Owing to its capacity for destruction, the weed needs to be eradicated as soon as it is identified. However, this is not as easy as it sounds as it is quite difficult to successfully eradicate, thus you may need a Japanese knotweed contractor to help you out. Such contractors usually have access to the equipment, technology and products required to eradicate Japanese knotweed. If you identify the weed in either your garden or property, the next step should be to find a Japanese knotweed consultant who can help you get rid of it.

This presents yet another problem, since there are many bogus contractors out there. The important thing is to find the best Japanese knotweed contractor based on your resources and the extent of the problem. You need to get a contractor who has the capacity to carry out the eradication safely and professionally. The use of weed control chemicals as well as other processes involved in the eradication of knotweed demand high levels of technical expertise. Such expertise be supported by experience and training, so that the eradication can be effectively conducted.

When choosing a Japanese knotweed contractor, the first thing you should do is to make a short list of the reputable knotweed contractors in your area. Next, you should conduct your own investigations regarding the contractors' track records, based on customer reviews. Although cost is an important consideration in this case, ensure that you do not minimize your costs at the expense of the right expertise. Eradication of the weed is not a simple process, thus cheap contractors should be evaluated with caution. Many property owners have been duped by the lure of low prices offered by some contractors, only for the the weeds to sprout back because they did a substandard job. This does not necessarily mean that the most expensive knotweed contractor is the best one. It just means that you should have realistic expectations based on the service that you expect to get. Compare the prices of different contractors with the services they are supposed to offer prior to making a decision. If a Japanese knotweed consultant offers very low prices compared to other contractors for a similar service, something is amiss.

It will also be important to ensure that the contractors are properly licensed to carry out Japanese knotweed eradication. This will ensure that they are properly qualified to carry out the Japanese knotweed eradication process professionally. Further, their employees should also be trained and qualified in order to ascertain the safety of the eradication process. You have a right to ask for the profiles of the prospective companies in order to ascertain such details. This is because the eradication process is not an end in itself. Other considerations such as the health and environmental implications need to be considered, so that the eradication process is not counter productive.

Originally introduced as an ornamental plant, Japanese Knotweed has gone above and beyond its original purpose and has grown into a huge problem. This invasive plant species is a ruthless and merciless coloniser, destroying native plant life and causing mayhem to local ecosystems. Japanese Knotweed crowds out all other plants, creating mono cultures and ruining yards, gardens and sometimes even buildings. This pest is such a problem that accommodating its spread is outlawed here in the UK. Without proper treatment, Japanese Knotweed can ruin your property and spread throughout the neighbourhood.

There are many ways to treat the weed, yet most do not get rid of it entirely. Due to its stubborn nature, traditional methods such as slashing or pulling do not work. The plant comes back, so you pull it again and burn it. However, all it takes is a single fragment of a root to grow, so the plant can gain yet another foothold and continue its conquest. There is hope, however, but it requires a three part strategy and a lot of time to destroy. The strategy is listed below, but sometimes it is best to hire a Japanese Knotweed contractor.

Plastic tarps are essential for covering the plant, and the bigger the better. Stake them down tightly, and make sure to wash your shoes; Knotweed can spread from even the slightest foot traffic. The tarps create a barrier against the plant and cut off vital sunlight. Something more attractive can be put over the tarps, such as dirt. When the Knotweed eventually grows and pushes against the tarp (Knotweed is known to push through concrete) merely stomp it down. The stalks will break, and the plant will continue to grow much slower due to a lack of sunlight.

The next thing to do is to treat the plant with a chemical known as glyphosate. This chemical is found in products such as Roundup. Glyphosate blocks a plant's ability to create food reserves, so the best time to use it is during the summer or fall. However, a year round spraying will have the best effect.

Cutting the Knotweed has been mentioned earlier, and is still an essential strategy in removing it. Cutting alone won't help remove this difficult invader, but cutting in conjunction with sunlight blocking tarps and chemical treatment will. The plants will have difficulty photosynthesising if they have nothing to photosynthesise with, along with having little to no contact with sunlight.

All these things will help eradicate the plant. However, it will be a long term, year round fight. If you want to save yourself a lot of hassle and backache, the best thing to do (as mentioned before) is to hire a Japanese Knotweed contractor. They charge depending on how far they must travel, so try and get a local one. Japanese Knotweed contractors are highly trained specialists, and will help you with your growing concerns.