PLANT PALAVER
Urgent warning over Japanese knotweed signs that could cost you £18,000 this summer
Scroll to find out how to spot the plant
FINDING Japanese knotweed on your property can quickly turn into a costly nightmare that can stop you being able to sell your home or get a mortgage.
The plant grows quickly and can cause damage to buildings, plus it's extremely difficult to eradicate.
1
You'll usually have to call out the professionals if you spot the weed, and they will apply a specialist treatment to kill the plant roots.
It's not usually a one-off visit and they'll have to return to make sure the plant is dead.
These costs rack up to thousands of pounds.
Japanese Knotweed can grow at up to 10cm a day in the summer and reach up to 7ft high.
Read more on gardens
The hardy plant sets down deep roots which can run to around three metres, which has a knock on impact on foundations and buildings.
You can be prosecuted for causing knotweed to spread into the wild, if you have not taken care to remove it.
Regulations around the plant mean it is illegal to do nothing about it and let it spread to any other property, and you can be fined up to £2,500 if you fail to do so.
When the plant has been removed, its presence has to be declared to future buyers, which can impact prices in the future.
Most read in Money
Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com says: “It’s expected that the rise of Japanese knotweed could soon increase, as it begins to emerge in spring and flower in summer.
"You are responsible for the removal costs and any damage if causes to neighbouring properties, so it's best to get it treated as early as possible to prevent any further pay outs for damages.
"Seeking professional help if the best option, and removal costs roughly £1,000 per square metre. While it is expensive, it is the most effective method of removal."
The average garden size in the UK is around 188 square meters, according to the Office for National Stastics.
Meaning that if takes hold in just a fraction of your garden, the costs will quickly start to mount.
Knotweed in just a tenth of the garden would cost around £18,000 to remove.
If the plant causes damage to your property, you'll also need to fix which adds to costs.
Matthew explains that home insurance, unfortunately, does not usually cover costs.
But it shouldn't affect your ability to get cover.
He adds: "If you are affected by Japanese knotweed then you should declare it when taking out a policy, otherwise you could risk any future claims being rejected, even if it's unrelated to damages caused by the weed.
"f you do try to claim for damages caused by the weed, then this will depend on your efforts to control it."
HOW TO SPOT JAPANESE KNOTWEED
HOW to spot Japanese Knotweed and what to do if you find it.
GARDENING expert, Kendal Platt, who runs Adventures with Flowers, said: "Japanese knotweed shoots look similar to bamboo shoots growing 2- 3metres tall.
They are hollow and coloured red in the Spring and turn green in the summer.
Their leaves which appear in Spring are shield or heart-shaped with a pointed tip and grow at staggered intervals along the length of the shoots.
They can grow up to 20cm long and die back in winter leaving just the brown dead looking canes above ground.
The flowers appear in late summer as bunches of creamy white flowers growing in amongst the leaves.
It spreads through its rhizomes (underground root system) which are dark brown on the outside and orange on the inside.
They can burrow up to 3 metres under ground causing damage to buildings and break easily, so can be hard to remove completely.
If you find it in your garden it's important to call in a specialist Japanese Knotweed removal company.
They use a glyphosate based herbicide which when injected into the plant at the right time of year can kill it.
It may take a few years of repeated application to eradicate the plant completely from your property which is why many removal companies recommend a glyphosate treatment programme over a number of years.
Can you remove Japanese knotweed without professionals?
It's easier to get professionals to do the hard work for you, but if you want to try to avoid the costs you can tackle the issue yourseld.
According to confused.com, you'll need to put together a kit including:
- Some overalls
- A visor or face shield
- Face mask (to P3 standards)
- Disposable shoe/boot covers
- Glyphosate weed killer
- A knapsack-style sprayer
- Some rubber gloves.
You also need to know that it can take up to five years to completely remove it.
And you mustn't put any part of the plant, dead or alive, in your normal waster.
Read More on The Sun
Instead it must be removed in a licensed waste disposal centre (including the dug up soil), and only registered waste carriers can transport it.
If you're going to dispose of it yourself, call the Environment Agency first.
Topics