Who knows about Japanese Knotweed?

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rhubarb93
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Re: Who knows about Japanese Knotweed?

Post by rhubarb93 »

What happened about your house, LBF?
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: Who knows about Japanese Knotweed?

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

{rofwl} This post referred to the first house that fell through on us! The knotweed was a deal-breaker as far as the mortgage company was concerned & as far as I know, the house never sold - it went to auction & didn't reach the reserve, I think they're using it as a holiday let now. The next house fell through as well. After/during that we lost three sets of buyers for our house.
Now - almost exactly a year on, we have sold again, and are hoping to move in just under 3 weeks time. :-D
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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redoak
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Re: Who knows about Japanese Knotweed?

Post by redoak »

I don't know why abbottmorris said it's harmful to heath as I've heard that you can eat it. Goats love it apparently. I personally don't think it's half as big a problem as everyone makes out. I cleared some in a garden in Wales a few years ago and found it very easy to cut and dig up. The roots seemed actually quite shallow and weak. If it was me I'd go for it!
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: Who knows about Japanese Knotweed?

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Donkey Rhubarb is what my Dad calls it - you can eat the young shoots.
We would have gone for it I think - the knotweed was far enough away from the house that we would have been able to deal with it. I'm glad the mortgage company vetoed it though to be honest - the whole house was a can of worms waiting to be sprung open!!
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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Fellsider
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Re: Who knows about Japanese Knotweed?

Post by Fellsider »

My girls are on a huge patch of Japanese Knotweed.

Last year I dug up as much as possible, put the girls on this spring and they eat it now as soon as it appears. I've been told that putting them on the patch every year for 3 years should finish off the knotweed. Another patch of the allotment was injected last autumn but some of the knotweed came back, so the girls will be dealing with that as well.

To clear the site of a local communal garden of knotweed cost thousands, as all of the soil had to be scraped away, up to a depth of a couple of feet or so, and taken away to a special incinerator.

It is an awful weed though and if it gets into the house foundations there is apparently nothing you can do to save the house. Be careful when handling it as the minutest amount of root stuck to the sole of your shoe is enough to start a new colony.

Here is the Environment Agency guidance about it
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/wildlife/130079.aspx
Ruled by Henry, the miniature serama cockerel who thinks he is 10 feet tall.
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