Japanese Knotweed - Advice on Selling a House in the UK

We don't have councils here @Mowerman so it would be down to one of the government departments, possibly 'Foresty' to deal with it. I don't suppose it's worth reporting it to DEFA here either. We do have parish commissioners around the island and I could mention it to them but they don't have the cash or probably the inclination to deal with it either.

Nobody deals with the ragwort that is running riot all over the island either and that by law should be controlled too.

It looks like you have a challenge on your hands with the garden you went to today. Good luck and keep us posted, as it's interesting to hear how problems like this are dealt with.

 

@Sheal

It's a shame to hear that nobody will deal with it as it the longer it's left, the more expensive it will be to clear if it gets ridiculously out of hand.

The ragwort is a menace too and destroys the liver of horses and cattle over time, although I read that sheep are not affected by the poison and are used to graze it.

Are there livestock nearby? Those seeds from the island must blow into local fields and take up unwanted residence.

 

@Mowerman, I think part of the reason it's being left is because it's not easily accessible. It's in a Glen and growing either side of the river. They would have to use abseiling equipment or something similar to drop down the side of the larger bank. Even then it would be difficult because the bank is completely covered in dense undergrowth as well as the Knotweed.

Ragwort is a menace and most people on the island are aware that it's poisonous. Ironically it's the island's national flower which we've tried to get changed. The whole island is a rare breed haven regarding livestock and was closed to the outside world in 2001 during the Foot and Mouth outbreak to protect our animals. So, while the powers that be want to protect our animals against diseases they are prepared to overlook things like the Ragwort.

 

Most animals know not to eat ragwort @Sheal. It is mostly a problem for grazing livestock because the young plants are not easy to spot amongst the grass, so they get eaten by accident. A cow has to eat it's own body weight in ragwort before it reaches fatal dose. The trouble is unlike many toxins that would be expelled from the body over time, ragwort doesn't. It just accumulates.

What's poison to one animal is life to another. Lots of insects feed off ragwort, and lots of birds and bats and such feed off those insects.