Knotweeds, also known as Fallopia Japonica are aggressive, rapid growing weeds, often considered noxious plants and are very difficult to control. They thrive in moist soil and grow well in full or partial sun. Knotweeds can spread by seed, stem, or root fragments.
Fallopia Japonica – Knotweed
Knotweeds cannot grow through concrete. However, what they do is look for weak points such as cracks or fissures in the foundation of properties and exploit these weaknesses in search of moisture to keep up its growth. Their ability to grow up to 10 cm per day can be very damaging to paving, buildings and fences.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What are Knotweeds and why are they invasive?
They are identified by their heart-shaped leaves with a somewhat zigzag pattern, about 15 cm in length and 10 cm in width. Its dense stems are straight and tall, showing green sometimes with brownish spots. They become dormant in late autumn and winter. Knotweeds have attractive creamy white flowers that are more apparent in spring.
How To Eliminate Knotweeds from your garden
Knotweed is one of the most bothersome plants out there. Due to its invasive nature and rapid growth, they can cause very serious damage to one’s property. It is best to keep an eye out for it in order to spot it timely and prevent a terrible outbreak.
Kill knotweed with Chemical Control
To get rid of knotweed, a glyphosate-based weed killer is often recommended. It is applied to the cut canes of the weed so it can penetrate the plant roots. It must be used cautiously in order not to put oneself, pets and surrounding plants at risk. Though effective, using a glyphosate-based chemical to treat knotweed has its drawback because these plants usually grow back in spring, albeit less aggressively. So to completely eradicate knotweed you will have to apply this chemical for more than four seasons.
Kill knotweed organically
It is not advisable to dig these weeds out due to their ability to grow from fragments of its parts. Digging it out will surely cause more problems in the long run. What you can do is to steadily weaken this troublesome plant by removing its leaves as they grow. This will hinder the process of photosynthesis. However, this method may take years. You will need to do a weekly check on these plants in order to take out new leaf buds as soon as possible.
Professional help removing knotweed
Hiring qualified personnel or a company to control knotweed is a good choice and you are more assured that these damaging plants will be totally eradicated. The benefit of using professionals is that they can handle these weeds as large clumps that are too difficult to control, deduce the risks involved, and suggest a suitable treatment plan.
