It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
The trials covered the four main herbicide groups used in weed control. The chemical found to be the most effective was glyphosate. However, very low doses were applied - the lowest of all the other herbicides used.
If you water down the one effective chemical it will reach a point where it is no longer effective and might even help the plant develope a resistance?
Glyphosate is used a lot in food production and growing levels of residue in our bodies (and the animals we might eat) are a concern. Not using the one effective control on knotweed seems silly given that it presently only occupies a small area of the country. If it expands because of a lack of control we'll potentially have to use far more in the future.
Anyway all plants need access to sunlight, denying that over a prolonged period will kill any plant. the trick is to contain the runs of roots where you can monitor the shoots and hack them back.
That article doesn't seem to mention this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4546960/Plant-eating-insect-finally-kill-Japanese-knotweed.html
Once we leave the EU, and can make our own rules. We could keep using Glyphospate on Knotweed even if it is banned for general use.
We've been chucking it all over the environment for decades.
We need to stop indiscriminate use - especially in food production - but targeted use on specific knotweed sites should be ok. The problem is that monolithic EU rules won't allow for that.
japanese knotweed has a health benefit, its high in resveratrol in fact i think significantly higher than red wine , great for circulation heart health and insulin stability .... 1-1
Just googled and found this:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/24/eu-brink-historic-decision-pervasive-glyphosate-weedkiller
Seems to cover most of the issues.
Use of the stuff needs to be restricted, but if it's the only thing that kills knotweed then if it's injected into the plant rather than sprayed, it's not going to do too much harm. Given the amount of the stuff that has been indiscriminately used over the last 40 plus years, a small amount of targeted use shouldn't cause any significant problems.
Problem is it's everywhere, you'd have to fight it everywhere all the time, which just isn't practical.
Not directly but its effects can be dangerous. Its root system can easily push over a brick wall or damage a concrete bridge. The trouble is by the time it's found, the damage has often been done.
So I'd say a Knotweed win, penalty shootout after extra time
As for how to kill it... did they try fire? Or Agent Orange? Or nuking it from space to be on the safe side?
they reported it to the neighbour, who just chopped it back. It was stressing the MIL so much they offered to contribute to its removal and subsequent treatment
Instagram
Does strengthen its cause as a name for a metal band though, I have to say.
Terraform MARS with it!!
http://www.fryxgames.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/TMbox.jpg