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Anybody else here struggling with Japanese Knotweed?

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    #62
    bazbrady
    Registered Users Posts: 257 ✭✭bazbrady


    there was an interview with a local politician in Kerry who is calling for a national plan to eradicate jap knotweed,watch the rte news Monday 17th on the rte player,theres a women describing what to do,she does recommend not to dig it up ,instead she stated to spray in place till its dead otherwise it spreads.interesting 5 mins on the news.


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    #63
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Kazbah wrote: »
    Where can you buy this economical version - just co-ops? I could only see green sprays in B&Q. Should I wear a mask, goggles etc?

    Glambia and many builders merchants/hardware stores. Yes on the protective gear. Just follow the instructions on the label for protective gear.


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    #64
    ithread
    Registered Users Posts: 118 ✭✭ithread


    Just been reading through all the posts and I have to say it has given me some comfort in knowing Im not alone.

    We have been trying to tackle JK for the past two years. When we moved into our house we had no idea what this 6ft plant/weed was until a friend pointed it out.

    We have been spraying with glyphosphate 2/3 times a year and whilst it still grows it never gets about 2ft....is this a good sign or just sheer hope on my part. Although small, it has an abundance of leaves (hybrid?) which makes me think it is trying to suck in as much energy as it can???? We are due to give it another spray at the end of Aug/Sep and really try and get the leaves!!

    My question is this...this weed is growing up through slabs (by this I mean in between slabs) should we lift these slabs and see if we can promote growth in order to have a better chance at attacking it? Maybe this should be tackled when it has died or early next year?

    This is an absolutely horrible weed and I live in hope that we will be able to get rid of it one day.

    All help appreciated!!!!

    Thanks

    Sent by Outlook for Android


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    #65
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    ithread wrote: »
    Just been reading through all the posts and I have to say it has given me some comfort in knowing Im not alone.

    We have been trying to tackle JK for the past two years. When we moved into our house we had no idea what this 6ft plant/weed was until a friend pointed it out.

    We have been spraying with glyphosphate 2/3 times a year and whilst it still grows it never gets about 2ft....is this a good sign or just sheer hope on my part. Although small, it has an abundance of leaves (hybrid?) which makes me think it is trying to suck in as much energy as it can???? We are due to give it another spray at the end of Aug/Sep and really try and get the leaves!!

    My question is this...this weed is growing up through slabs (by this I mean in between slabs) should we lift these slabs and see if we can promote growth in order to have a better chance at attacking it? Maybe this should be tackled when it has died or early next year?

    This is an absolutely horrible weed and I live in hope that we will be able to get rid of it one day.

    All help appreciated!!!!

    Thanks

    Sent by Outlook for Android

    Just keep up with the spraying, in my garden I'm down to tiny bits of it coming back after 10 years of spraying, I doubt I've seen the end of it yet but I can now paint the few remaining leaves with a glyphosate gel and get the job done in a couple of minutes. This year I think I might have finally cleared a small bit that was coming up in a rough lawn area and have no more than 20 little stems (a foot high if I leave them to grow) from a totally infested area of 20m x 6m.

    The areas that are still producing stems are areas by a river which seems to be ideal conditions for the plant, the areas I have cleared it off completely are dry areas that are less than ideal. Hence I think the local growing conditions may have an impact on how easy it is to eradicate.

    The abundance of leaves could mean you are slowly winning because the regrowth that is affected by glyphosate can produce a congested mass of smaller leaves.


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    #66
    ithread
    Registered Users Posts: 118 ✭✭ithread


    Thanks mythreecents!

    do you mean keep spraying all the time? I have read that you should only give it a few sprays a year as it can become immune?


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    #67
    Lucena
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭Lucena


    recedite wrote: »
    I wouldn't worry too much about it. It cannot compete against spruce woods, or live in an exposed upland situation. These old ruins in the woods are usually in a sheltered spot with a small stream (that was the peoples water supply) so just the ideal spot for JK, but it won't necessarily move from there.
    There is a clump of it at a bridge near me, which clump is about 2m wide by 4 or 5m long. Has been there for many years, unchanged. Nobody touches it. Its amazing how quick the stems shoot up in summer, it looks like its going to take over, but then it vanishes again and its back to square one. I think because it's bounded by a tarred road on one side and some trees on the other.

    If there is a stream running through an area with JK in it, there is a possibility that the JK will be spread downstream, as a living stalk that falls into the water can wash up somewhere and put down roots, establishing a new colony. Erosion of the stream banks could also cause root systems to be washed away downstream, with the same possibility of colonisation.


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    #68
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    ithread wrote: »
    Thanks mythreecents!

    do you mean keep spraying all the time? I have read that you should only give it a few sprays a year as it can become immune?

    Sorry I meant to keep doing what you are already doing and spray 2/3 times a year. But once you get it down to the stage of smaller bits coming up I'd spray every 3/4 weeks provided there was a live leaf surface to take up the weed killer.


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    #69
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Lucena wrote: »
    If there is a stream running through an area with JK in it, there is a possibility that the JK will be spread downstream, as a living stalk that falls into the water can wash up somewhere and put down roots, establishing a new colony. Erosion of the stream banks could also cause root systems to be washed away downstream, with the same possibility of colonisation.

    The rhizomes (root system) can wash down stream and over to the UK and take root where they wash up, its a tenacious b4st4rd. I've found totally isolated clumps on beaches just above the high tide mark that could have only come in from the sea.


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    #70
    ithread
    Registered Users Posts: 118 ✭✭ithread


    my3cents wrote: »
    Sorry I meant to keep doing what you are already doing and spray 2/3 times a year. But once you get it down to the stage of smaller bits coming up I'd spray every 3/4 weeks provided there was a live leaf surface to take up the weed killer.

    thanks again!!


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    #71
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    dball wrote: »
    Thanks for that, this is the one i Have, sorry the pics are so big:

    kYs92Bg1Wr7_CK3wZ6WskDcL-NOESY605jhpom6GNbRB=w1075-h1433-no
    That is the good stuff, so 7.5ml -15ml per litre of water. I'd go with the lower dose if it was just grass, but the higher dose for this purpose.


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    #72
    Kazbah
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Kazbah


    I was getting a quote for paving and the guy was saying I should just dig up the JKW. He also suggested strimming it down before spraying. I said cutting it was exactly what I read not to do but he seemed to disagree? Also he quoted €180 to strim, spray and remove cuttings from a 40 sq m area. What do people think of that price? I was planning on buying the roundup and spot spraying the JKW myself.


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    #73
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Kazbah wrote: »
    I was getting a quote for paving and the guy was saying I should just dig up the JKW. He also suggested strimming it down before spraying. I said cutting it was exactly what I read not to do but he seemed to disagree? Also he quoted €180 to strim, spray and remove cuttings from a 40 sq m area. What do people think of that price? I was planning on buying the roundup and spot spraying the JKW myself.

    If you want to pay someone to dump the problem on someone elses property and still leave you with it.

    No way will he dig it all out and the more you break it up the more little bits will come back to haunt you. You are still going to end up spaying what comes up and also end up spreading the weed if you deal with this cowboy.


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    #74
    Kazbah
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Kazbah


    Is it worth paying someone else to do a knapsack spray or should I just try and tackle it myself?


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    #75
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Kazbah wrote: »
    Is it worth paying someone else to do a knapsack spray or should I just try and tackle it myself?

    Knapsack sprayer €40, 5l of glyphosate another €40. Thats enough chemicals to drench a 40m square area at least 5 times a year for the next five years.

    You can guess my answer anyway.


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    #76
    Kazbah
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Kazbah


    I'm just a bit intimidated by it!


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    #77
    sheesh
    Registered Users Posts: 4,080 ✭✭✭sheesh


    Kazbah wrote: »
    Thank you. How long would be safe before paving? I've read here that it takes 3 years to get it under control 😧

    I think that is correct.
    The place we sprayed has died back but there some small plants around the edges that were obviously missed so we are going to have to spray again. then we will see if any plants from the first spraying come back next year which can happen I'd say for to be sure


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    #78
    sheesh
    Registered Users Posts: 4,080 ✭✭✭sheesh


    Kazbah wrote: »
    I'm just a bit intimidated by it!

    just pretend your in 'nam and your spraying Agent orange!!! :D


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    #79
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Kazbah wrote: »
    I'm just a bit intimidated by it!

    What area are you in, just in case there is someone here that can help.


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    #80
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    The only real difficulty is being ready to go when the weather is right.
    Windy conditions can carry the spray onto areas you don't want to spray. Rainy weather can wash it off the leaves too soon. And letting sprays get into streams or water courses is the big no-no.
    BTW you can get through a fair area with a small 1.5-2 litre pressurised type hand sprayer ( ie pump it before spraying), just keep refilling it. And try a coarse spray if the fine mist is too slow, or its drifting in the breeze.


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    #81
    Citizenpain
    Registered Users Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭Citizenpain


    Kazbah wrote: »
    Is it worth paying someone else to do a knapsack spray or should I just try and tackle it myself?

    Do it yourself , just make sure you wear a mask, gloves etc .

    And don't walk on the lawn after spraying


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    #82
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Apparently goats are crazy for it. (Not after it's been sprayed, obv.)

    It's allegedly also edible http://www.eattheweeds.com/japanese-knotweed-dreadable-edible/ (though also not after spraying!) http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Knotweed.html "tastes like rhubarb only better". I don't know if this is true; it's on the internet…


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    #83
    ithread
    Registered Users Posts: 118 ✭✭ithread


    This is how our Japanese Knotweed is looking at present...we sprayed in Late May/June. You can see they aren't growing that tall and have lots and lots of leaves


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    #84
    ithread
    Registered Users Posts: 118 ✭✭ithread


    Anyone any tips on how to get to spray all these leaves???


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    #85
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    ithread wrote: »
    Anyone any tips on how to get to spray all these leaves???

    You need a half decent pump up sprayer. The Lidl/Aldi ones when they have them will do if you don't want to spend a lot of money but most hardware stores, builders merchants, Woodies and Glambia have everything from 5l sprayers up to 20l ones. 50ml (max - read the label obviously) of a glyphosate weedkiller like roundup in 5l of water and get spraying. Try and get the leaves wet without too much running off.


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    #86
    ithread
    Registered Users Posts: 118 ✭✭ithread


    Thanks again!!


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    #87
    sheesh
    Registered Users Posts: 4,080 ✭✭✭sheesh


    Qualitymark wrote: »
    Apparently goats are crazy for it. (Not after it's been sprayed, obv.)

    It's allegedly also edible http://www.eattheweeds.com/japanese-knotweed-dreadable-edible/ (though also not after spraying!) http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Knotweed.html "tastes like rhubarb only better". I don't know if this is true; it's on the internet…

    its supposed to be edible and quiet nice the young leaves anyway.


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    #88
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Kazbah wrote: »
    I'm just a bit intimidated by it!

    Think how it feels about you with your sprayer!


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    #89
    Kazbah
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Kazbah


    I live in cork city but I think I found someone to help me & he has a sprayer. I'll attach a pic.


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    #90
    tampopo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,333 ✭✭✭tampopo


    Short film/story from Northern Ireland about JKW

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-33990252


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    #91
    Kazbah
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Kazbah


    Is there anything stronger than roundup available even with a license?


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