How To Get Rid Of Japanese Knotweed

Japanese knotweed is described by the Environment Agency as "indisputably the UK's most aggressive, destructive and invasive plant".

Due to the powerful root and rhizome system, which extends deep into the ground, knotweed is notoriously difficult to treat or remove without professional help – and failure to do so could result in your property being damaged and devalued.

For those looking to develop on knotweed affected land, there could also be implications on construction programme and cost.

Commercial solutions

Identification of Japanese Knotweed

Accurate identification is key. You'll find a useful video and photos here to help you identify knotweed through the various seasons - send a photo to our FREE identification service and we'll confirm if it's knotweed.

The devil is in the detail. It's imperative to know what type of knotweed it is, the maturity, extent and condition of the underground rhizome and root system - and the ground conditions in which it is growing. That is why a site survey is often required. Knowledge is key; armed with this information a suitable Japanese Knotweed Management Plan can be devised that has the highest chance of success.

Identify Japanese knotweed

Can I Treat or Get Rid of Japanese Knotweed Myself?

If you're tempted to treat it yourself, consider these points:

Most people attempting a DIY solution will fail, making subsequent professional treatment more complicated and expensive
Using chemicals purchased from a garden centre or DIY store will rarely be strong enough to kill the underground root system, and will often result in dormancy which means that even if the plant appears to be dead above-ground, the underground rhizome remains very much alive ready to regrow at any moment
Damage to other prized plants may be caused by poor herbicide application
DIY treatment won't provide you with much of a legal defence If it spreads into your neighbours' land
Digging out the rhizome system is difficult; it's best left to professionals
You won't get the all-important insurance-backed which could make it very difficult to sell your property in the future and adversely affect its value.

What are the Options for the Control or Removal of Japanese Knotweed?

Physical Removal - Excavation and removal of the underground root and rhizome system, ensuring Japanese knotweed is gone, and gone for good.
Herbicide Treatment - Is a control method, as while herbicide can kill immature plants, it's less effective on mature rhizomes, often causing dormancy rather than death.
Combination Methods - A combination of physical removal, herbicide treatment and the use of root barriers is often the optimum solution.

Find out more about our treatment and removal options here:

Knotweed Distribution

Research indicates that approximately 5% of homes in the UK are affected by Japanese knotweed. Search Exposed the Knotweed Heatmap by postcode to see if your property is in a high-risk area.

Go to the Heatmap

Does Knotweed Affect Property Value?

The simple answer is Yes. You're legally obliged to disclose whether the property is "affected" when selling and mortgage lenders will impose conditions which could prompt a buyer to renegotiate or even walk away. But don't panic, a professionally prepared and actioned Japanese Knotweed Management Plan normally returns the value close to the "non-affected" value. Check out this online calculator to get an idea of how your property's value might be impacted.

Go to the Calculator

Knotweed Dormancy - there's More to it than Meets the Eye

Rhizomes can remain dormant in the ground for many years. Unfortunately, the absence of above ground growth does not mean no viable rhizomes are present. Where the human eye can't spot knotweed, the canine nose can. This is where our Knotweed Detection Dogs assist, sniffing out rhizomes hidden underground – great for buyers and sellers where there is uncertainty as to whether a property is affected or not.

Go to the Detection Dogs

The Japanese Knotweed Management Plan

The all-important document that should identify:

The extent, maturity and location of knotweed on the property
Whether any physical damage has, or is likely to be caused
If encroachment to or from the property is likely
The recommended method for its control or removal and associated costs
Details of the guarantee

Is the Guarantee Important?

Absolutely, yes. Mortgage lenders will want to see an insurance-backed guarantee for up to 10 years from a reputable specialist (e.g. Accredited members of either PCA or INNSA). This has implications for those who attempt DIY methods.

We provide insurance-backed guarantees for up to 10 years, backed by an "AA-" rated insurer, meaning that if there's regrowth post-treatment – you're covered.

How can Environet Help me?

Here's what you can expect:

Identify Japanese knotweed - Just send us a photo of the suspected infestation. Japanese knotweed is pretty distinctive, and our experts will quickly be able to identify the plant, free of charge, and tell you if there's a problem. If it's knotweed, you'll need a survey and a Management Plan prepared.
Treatment and removal - Once we have received the go ahead, we'll schedule the work. We follow industry best practice, giving you the reassurance that your Japanese knotweed problem will be dealt with discreetly, courteously and professionally. We will leave your garden neat and tidy, ready for replanting.
Insurance-backed guarantee - we will provide you with our market-leading insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) for up to 10 years, underwritten by an "AA-" rated insurer. Our IBGs are accepted by all main banks and building societies.

Excellent service. We needed to eradicate some knotweed quickly to avoid delays in our development project and Environet really came up trumps.They were infinitely more helpful and professional than other specialists we had spoken to and we would recommend them highly.

Did you Know?

We have a track record of over 20 years of successful knotweed removal from homes and development sites across the UK
We might be able to help you recover costs if you are the victim of non-disclosure, encroachment or professional negligence
We provide a full consultancy service for projects large and small, so you'll benefit from our knowledge gained from experience and our research programme
We're 100% employee-owned, meaning all our staff go the extra mile
We offer the only "AA-" rated insurance-backed guarantee on the market
We're recognised as the best in the business by our trade body, the Property Care Association (PCA) who named us their 'Contractor of the Year 2020'
Over 99% of our customers describe their experience with us as "Excellent" or "Great" on TrustPilot