It’s that time of year again when Japanese knotweed’s growing season draws to a close and the plant dies away, but specialists Environet are urging people not to delay tackling the weed as it remains very much alive, waiting to emerge bigger and stronger with new shoots next March.
Although still standing, the bamboo-like canes will now be turning brown and brittle, which can fool people into believing the plant has died or that their own efforts at treating it through cutting the plant back, or burning it, have been successful. However, like many plants, the rhizome system beneath the ground is healthy and lying dormant throughout the colder winter months.
Herbicide treatments cannot be used during winter as they require the plant to be in leaf, but that doesn’t mean treatment needs to be postponed until spring. In fact, Japanese knotweed can be dug out at any time of year using the environmentally friendly Resi-Dig-Out method, which involves digging out the rhizome roots and sifting out every viable piece before returning the clean soil to the ground. An insurance-backed guarantee can then be secured for the treatment which will ensure the property can be bought or sold without difficulty.
Nic Seal, MD and Founder of Environet comments, “Each winter we see enquiry levels fall, but we know Japanese knotweed hasn’t magically disappeared, it’s simply a case of out of sight, out of mind. Savvy people will take action through the autumn and winter to tackle knotweed on their land, ensuring they don’t face an even bigger problem next spring. Digging knotweed out of the soil is an instant solution.”
A Guide to Identifying Japanese knotweed in Winter
As the temperature drops, the green heart shaped leaves will turn brown and fall from the plant.
In late November/early December the hollow, bamboo-like canes will turn brown and die, although they remain standing.
In March, red or purple asparagus type shoots will appear, quickly turning into green bamboo-like stems which grow at a rapid rate, reaching up to 3m in height.
