What To Do About Japanese Knotweed

One of the most destructive plants you can find in the garden is Japanese knotweed, which was first brought to British shores by Victorian botanists who thought it was rather pretty… but, unfortunately, it can cause very real damage to our homes and if left to its own devices it can be particularly difficult to get rid of.

It can grow successfully through brick walls and concrete, causing very real damage to pavements, driveways, buildings and foundations – so it’s important to address the situation and not hope it goes away.

Dealing with it as soon as you spot it on your property is a must, not least because it can affect the value of your house. Legally, you don’t have to remove Japanese knotweed from your land but you could be handed a community protection notice or even prosecuted if you allow it to spread to someone else’s property.

There are various ways in which you can try and get rid of this nuisance plant. You could, for example, spray it with chemicals (approved herbicides only), but note that you will need to respray and it can take a couple of years to ensure that the plant won’t grow back.

You can also bury it, but you’ll need to check with the Environment Agency to make sure this is permitted, since you’re not usually allowed to bury any waste on land unless it’s at a landfill with the appropriate permits in place.

Or you could burn it, although businesses will have to notify the Environment Agency at least a week before they do it and let their local environmental health officer know. Individuals don’t need to do this if they’re burning waste privately.

Given how tricky it can be to deal with Japanese knotweed, it might be worth hiring a specialist contractor to treat the problem, rather than trying to do it yourself. 

For help with the driveways at your Wirral home, get in touch with LW Landscapes today.