The Japanese Knotweed Growing Season

July 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Japanese Knotweed is Britain’s most invasive non-native plant, an herbaceous perennial weed native to eastern Asia which is capable of growing 10cms a day. With July being the height of the weed’s growing season, it is posing a bigger threat than ever to land and property owners, the construction industry and environmental workers.
Japanese knotweed was introduced to Britain by the Victorians in the late 19th century to serve as feed crop for cattle as well as an ornamental plant. However, there are no pests or diseases in the British ecosystem capable of controlling the plant naturally and so it has spread at an extreme rate and become extremely problematic to the extent that it is an offence to plant it or aid its growth.
Some of the problems the plant can cause include; damage to pavement and tarmac areas, reduction of biodiversity as the pant out-shades other vegetation, litter accumulation in established stands. At £1 per square meter to spray and a further £8 to landscape, the plant can be an expensive problem to fix if it is not dealt with early before it spreads.  For example, there are currently over 680 known knotweed sites on Exmoor, covering a total area of over 8000m².
To tackle Japanese knotweed effectively, a specialist invasive weed removal company needs to be used who can treat the plant in a number of ways, including chemical spraying and a combination of cutting, mowing and pulling. Scientists are currently also testing the effectiveness of introducing a Japanese insect - a psyllid called Aphalara itadori - which feeds on the sap of the knotweed, preventing its growth.
With the growth season lasting from March until October, it is recommended that any property owner who is worried about the possibility of a Japanese knotweed plant seeks confirmation from an exert – such as Scottish knotweed specialists, Wise Knotweed Solutions - as soon as possible to avoid the plant spreading and causing potential damage and expense, as well as possible fines for allowing the spread of the plant.

For further information visit: http://www.wiseknotweed.com/