Japenese Knotweed Spraying

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Mowerman, Jul 21, 2016.

  1. Mowerman

    Mowerman Gardener

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    @daitheplant - I usually garden there every week but could make it one week due to an appointment.

    You're right though - it should be checked every week and since another dose of the stuff was apllied, it is well and truly on the way to a long sleep. That is until next year when it arises like a phoenix from the ashes.

    @Scrungee - thank you very much for your advice on syringes - it's much appreaciated.

    Got an appointment with the vets on Saturday (they're better than the dotor)... just kidding :). The dog needs boosters.

    They sell 40ml syringes for 40p each so will buy a load and burn each one after treatments with neat Clinic Ace.

    What I find amazing is that 200ml per litre of the above weedkiller blitzes Japweed and horsetails yet dog voilets somehow survive the same dose when growing between paving slabs. They are tough little sods!!!
     
  2. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Mowerman, Clinic Ace is Glyphosate, it has to be absorbed by the foliage to get into the plants circulatery system.
     
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    • Mowerman

      Mowerman Gardener

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      I know that Glyphosate is absorbed through the foliage aqnd as there is none left, it's kinda difficult to spray it.

      A lot of people online have mentioned injecting the stems with weedkiller to finish off the plant as it still looks alive but somewhat dazed. As the stems are hollow, in theory, the solution may seep into the root, or maybe not. What kind of weedkiller would you suggest?
       
    • NigelJ

      NigelJ Total Gardener

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      @Mowerman
      Glyphosate is the way to go. It will be absorbed by the tissue in the stem and get down to the roots that way. Just inject with a needle and syringe.
       
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      • Mowerman

        Mowerman Gardener

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        Thanks for the advice. Have got a beauty of a syringe and will inject next week. Gonna inject the tissue as well as ensure sure some falls inside the hollow stem.

        Years ago, saw some council workers cutting the hollow stems down in autumn and filling them with herbicide.

        One thing's for sure, I ain't cutting down the plant and having any fragments of it laying around until at least the winter, when the stalks die off anyway. Will burn it in their rather redundant cast iron chminea.
         
      • Mowerman

        Mowerman Gardener

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        Apologies for these updates for those who aren't interested.

        The plant has no leaves left whatsoever and the upper stalks are completely brown/ appear dead.

        Yet the main purple speckled stalks look as healthy as Usain Bolt on steroids and the lower parts of the plant are showing a hint of potential flower buds.

        Injected it today with 20ml of pure Clinic Ace today, directly into the plant tissue. It was diificult as the stems were incredibly tough and there was a fine line between the needle going into the plant's stem tissue without piercing straight through into the hollow stem. Took a lot longer than expected.

        Can't wait to see the results within a couple of weeks. Will rinse and repeat if necessary. I hate this plant so much but absolutely admire its unrivalled tenacity.
         
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        • daitheplant

          daitheplant Total Gardener

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          I look forward to the outcome also.
           
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          • Mowerman

            Mowerman Gardener

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            Have been doing some more research on the subject.

            JK is regarded by some as the largest clone in the world. All of the affected countries outside of its natual habitat, have become infested by the rhizomes of possibly just one or a few female plants brought over from Japan as an orinmental species in the 19th century. I've known this for a long time and no doubt, most gardeners may already know this too. The pure JK female plant is sterile without male plants to pollinate them, which aren't present in most countries.

            But.... Russian Vines (Fallopia baldschuanica) is able to hybridise with JK to form Fallopia baldschuanica x japonica. JK can also hybridise with Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and is called Giant Knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica).

            Both varients can be as problematic as JK and can also revert back to their original forms as seedlings (YES SEEDS)! Oh noes !!!

            Apologies for rattling on about this weed but eradicating weeds is my primary gardening passion and it mysifies me as JK so damn hard to kill off, having tried (and still trying to do to do so at one house) and I want a piece of the action for this and other hardcore weeds on a legtimate and fully legal basis.
             
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              Last edited: Sep 20, 2016
            • daitheplant

              daitheplant Total Gardener

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              Mowerman, I wish I had done 20 years ago, what you are doing now. Best of luck in the new direction you are going.
               
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              • Sheal

                Sheal Total Gardener

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                With plants like Japanese Knotweed the fight to eradicate it has to continue. So many give up before they achieve that. Keep at it Mowerman you will win given time and patience. :)
                 
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                • Mowerman

                  Mowerman Gardener

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                  Thanks guys for your words of encouragement - they mean a lot.

                  The plant I sprayed a while ago had no leaves left whatsoever but was ready to flower, and last Friday it was injected in the outer stems tissue with 20ml of neat Clinic ace (as already mentioned above).

                  Looked at it today and the flower buds have shriveled up and the entire main stalk is turning brown already, only 4 days after it taking an intravebious dose. Thought it would take at least a couple of weeks for this to happen. Am chuffed to bits but this plant always throws up suprises when you least expect, so the war still wages on....
                   
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                  • Sheal

                    Sheal Total Gardener

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                    That's a quick response to the injection Mowerman. Let's hope it's doing what's necessary underground too. :)
                     
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                    • Mowerman

                      Mowerman Gardener

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                      I hope so too but feel it will be back again and as mean as this year. The council treated it last year but due to staff and revenue cut-backs, they don't seem intersted any longer (much to their potential detriment... if it spreads). As an example, they only cut grass verges once a month if you're lucky in all but the poshes areas of the town. They don't bother with hedges unless multiple compaints are made. The list could go on and on.

                      In fact the JK was about 2ft taller this year than last year so whatever they did, visually didn't seem to do much good. Having said that though, it still remains as a solitary stem, so maybe they did do some good. I intend to eradicate it, no matter how many years it takes.

                      I feel sorry for the old dear TBH. She's about 90, had cancer but now clear, had a recent heart attack and pacemaker fitted a few weeks ago. Her son who is only about late 30's had cancer of the esophagus. Had his voicebox removed and has to breath through a tube in his throat for the rest of his life and the cancer has recently returned.

                      The weedkiller and time are insignificant when you look at the bigger picture. It's a project that is a labour of love and has cost me a mere few quid in weedkiller, various types of syringes but it's been a great learning curve and has somewhat helped spurn the desire to take the harcore weedkilling as career, especially when experiencing first-hand how difficult it is to eradicate just one (presently) single plant which doesn't belong in our country, and is so detremental to the indigenous plants, let alone property. And JK is one of many that have a negative impact in our envirnoment, in often similar ways to other 'alien' species who have different ways of creating havoc on our native flora and fauna.
                       
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                      • Sheal

                        Sheal Total Gardener

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                        I hope you achieve your goal with this @Mowerman, it'll certainly be encouraging for you. :dbgrtmb:
                         
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                        • Mowerman

                          Mowerman Gardener

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                          Thank you my friend. The endless number of courses will hit the pockets big-stlye but hopefully it will pay off over time... and only time will tell.
                           
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