Knotweed

[Koolpc]

Have any of you bought a property with knotweed in the garden?

A friend has had his offer accepted on a house with knotweed in the garden. The knotweed is towards the last half of the garden and it has a 5 year plan in place to eradicate it.

He is a cash buyer so doesnt need to worry about mortgage being refused because of the knotweed.

 

[Koolpc]

Mate is completing on the property next week.

He has seen the knotweed survey. They advise not to touch the area for approx 3 to 5 years!!

I think he is aiming to fence it off and forget about ut until the treatment is all done. It takes up a 3rd of the rear garden apparently.

 

[DiyNutJob]

He has seen the knotweed survey. They advise not to touch the area for approx 3 to 5 years!!

Won't that turn into a monster then? I have no experience, but I would attack it constantly, trying different agents: salt, vinegar, bleach, you name it. I wouldn't mind doing some exercises digging, more healthy than playing on the internet. The more the roots spread, the bigger the problem becomes.

 

[opps]

I thought that knot weed is no longer believed to be as harmful as once was. By that, I mean that claims that it can "drill" through concrete had been debunked.

Where I am currently sitting, many of the houses have knot weed in their back gardens. Apparently, the railway line blows the seed along the the train lines.

 

[Koolpc]

Won't that turn into a monster then? I have no experience, but I would attack it constantly, trying different agents: salt, vinegar, bleach, you name it. I wouldn't mind doing some exercises digging, more healthy than playing on the internet. The more the roots spread, the bigger the problem becomes.

No, he must not touch it. They are treating it. Over 3 to 5 year span.

 

[Koolpc]

I thought that knot weed is no longer believed to be as harmful as once was. By that, I mean that claims that it can "drill" through concrete had been debunked.

Where I am currently sitting, many of the houses have knot weed in their back gardens. Apparently, the railway line blows the seed along the the train lines.

It spreads through the rhizome not the seed.

 

[Pat ex]

It spreads through the rhizome not the seed.

It can spread through the seeds, but fortunately all the plants (currently) in UK are single sex (female) I think, so the plants (currently) in UK cannot spread by seed. But there is always the possibility of new varieties and other plants being introduced.

 

[DiyNutJob]

No, he must not touch it. They are treating it. Over 3 to 5 year span.

If I was running the treatment company, I'd tell him his house will blow unless he sign contract for 10 year treatment.

 

[Koolpc]

If I was running the treatment company, I'd tell him his house will blow unless he sign contract for 10 year treatment.

The vendor has paid up front for the treatment with 10 year warranty.

 

[Old Salt]

You cant dig it as any bits left in the ground will keep on growing. Specialist weed killers are used to eradicate it. As long as the treatments are up to date and the contractor/home owner has an insurance policy in place, in case the contractor goes bankrupt, everything should be okay.

He can fence it by all means but should retain some level of access for the contractor and he doesn't want to disturb it during the fencing operation.

Does his buildings insurers know? It could raise his premiums.

 

[opps]

It spreads through the rhizome not the seed.

My bad, thanks.

 

[Koolpc]

You cant dig it as any bits left in the ground will keep on growing. Specialist weed killers are used to eradicate it. As long as the treatments are up to date and the contractor/home owner has an insurance policy in place, in case the contractor goes bankrupt, everything should be okay.

He can fence it by all means but should retain some level of access for the contractor and he doesn't want to disturb it during the fencing operation.

Does his buildings insurers know? It could raise his premiums.

No idea. It is not a question on insurance forms is it?

 

[Old Salt]

May be worth declaring then there can be no misunderstanding.

 

[Koolpc]

I just checked insurance myself and it doesnt ask.

Plus, compare the market site said the same.

If they ask, then you are obliged to say.

 

[Odds]

Knotweed must be treated with zero tolerance. Forget waiting 3-5 years. Forget fencing it off. Nuke it. Now.

Japanese Knotweed Law in the UK.