Japanese knotweed is a fast-growing and invasive plant that can spread across land boundaries. It can also cause structural damage to buildings and structures. As a result, it has become a nuisance for many property owners and can have an impact on the value of your home. However, there are some things that you can do to protect your home from the risk of Japanese knotweed.
A survey is the first step to ensuring that your property is free from the weed. A professional team will use a range of techniques to identify the plant and establish the extent of the infestation. They will then create a treatment plan that will include an insurance-backed top-rated japanese knotweed survey guarantee. Depending on your needs, this guarantee could last up to 35 years.
Once you have a treatment plan in place, the best way to prevent Japanese knotweed from returning is to monitor your site regularly. If you find any signs of the weed, contact your contractor immediately. In addition to monitoring, you should also make sure that you don’t disturb the site or plant in any way.
Invasive plants like Japanese knotweed pose a serious threat to natural habitats in the UK. They can spread rapidly in a variety of habitats, including riverbanks, roadsides, railways, and wastelands. Their ability to rapidly grow out of control is further enabled by disturbance, such as earth-moving activities and floods. The weeds can recolonise disturbed sites and form dense monocultures. It is estimated that a single plant can produce up to 1 million seeds in one year, and it is able to regenerate from cut or mowed stems within two weeks.
The plant is also hard to eradicate. Its extensive underground rhizome network makes manual removal difficult. In addition, rhizome fragments that are left in the soil can regrow, and chemical treatments may be counter-productive in and around riparian habitats.
One option is to tarp the area where the Japanese knotweed is located. This technique has been used on a large scale in the US and elsewhere. The success of the tarping strategy is often dependent on a number of factors, including the size of the infestation, how quickly the weed grows back after tarping, and the availability of other management options in the area. In addition, some managers choose to extend the tarp beyond the initial weed stand.
Getting a survey is a great way to determine whether or not you have Japanese knotweed on your property. This will provide you with a clear idea of what the next steps should be. The survey should be conducted by a professional, such as a knotweed specialist or a RICS-approved surveyor.
While property surveyors will usually perform a cursory visual check of the boundaries of your property, they may miss Japanese knotweed if it is growing close to your home. A specialist, RICS-approved surveyor should be able to identify the weed and provide you with a detailed report, as well as a management plan that is suitable for mortgage lenders.