What is different about this plant compared to any other weed plant?
The way in which the vascular system operates within Japanese Knotweed is differrent compared to most other plants. This system is best described as its digestive & blood system. The plant has a hugh under ground rhizome system where it stores its food and energy source over winter to give it a quick aggressive start in spring. Throughout its growing season food movement is all one directional in its vascular system, hence why it is most difficult to kill this plant. Attempting to cut or treat this plant by a non Japanese Knotweed control specilist will result in making the situation worse and possibly create an “out of control” scenario. Applying ordinary weed killers (herbicides ) can stimulate the plant to grow more aggressively, signs of amature treatment can initialy show die back in the plant stems, then gradually stem colour changes again and re- growth re appears in a very strenghtened & aggressive manor as the plant “fights” the introduced chemical and “wins”. In many infestations over five years of age, under ground dormant rhizomes exist, incorrect herbicide adminstration can trigger these rhizomes out of dormancy and the infestation begins to grow under ground out of control .
It pays to be proactive - not reactive ... what do you think? If you have Japanese Knotweed or think you may have an infestation, please take the following steps ...