Is It Japanese Knotweed? Living in Cardiff and wondering whether or not that suspicious plant growing in the corner of your garden in Japanese knotweed? Overwhelmed with the various treatment plans and service providers and looking for some expert advice?
Give Total Weed Control a ring and we will carry out a Japanese knotweed survey and recommend next steps.
Upon arrival, one of our Japanese knotweed specialists will survey your property and tell you:
Japanese Knotweed Removal Cardiff
South Wales – and especially Cardiff – is one of the UK’s biggest Japanese knotweed hotspots. This invasive plant is particularly common alongside railways and rivers, but it has been spotted in all sorts of different places throughout the Welsh capital.
Japanese knotweed is a bothersome invasive species that has run rampant through Cardiff, South Wales, and various other areas of the UK since its introduction as an ornamental plant during the Victorian era. Japanese knotweed can cause a wide variety of problems, from growing in and around pipes and cables, in the cracks between bricks and paving, and even overwhelming local wildlife and creating an inhabitable environment for native UK species.
If you live in the Cardiff area and you think you may have Japanese knotweed growing on or near your property and are wondering how to kill or permanently remove Japanese knotweed, Total Weed Control offer a range of Japanese knotweed removal treatment options to suit your needs. Our knotweed removal services are also available across other areas across South Wales including Swansea, Newport, and the Vale of Glamorgan. We are registered with the Property Care Association (PCA) and offer a variety of treatment plans to suit your requirements.
Japanese knotweed is a bothersome invasive species that has run rampant through Cardiff, South Wales, and various other areas of the UK since its introduction as an ornamental plant during the Victorian era. Japanese knotweed can cause a wide variety of problems, from growing in and around pipes and cables, in the cracks between bricks and paving, and even overwhelming local wildlife and creating an inhabitable environment for native UK species.
If you live in the Cardiff area and you think you may have Japanese knotweed growing on or near your property and are wondering how to kill or permanently remove Japanese knotweed, Total Weed Control offer a range of Japanese knotweed removal treatment options to suit your needs. Our knotweed removal services are also available across other areas across South Wales including Swansea, Newport, and the Vale of Glamorgan. We are registered with the Property Care Association (PCA) and offer a variety of treatment plans to suit your requirements.
Cardiff Knotweed Removal Methods
Excavation and removal
Your Japanese knotweed (and the surrounding soil) will be dug up and disposed of at an approved landfill site. Alternatively, the knotweed can be relocated to a different part of the affected site, then treated with herbicide. This is ideal if you are planning to build on the affected area.
Herbicide treatment
Recommended. Your Japanese knotweed will be sprayed with herbicide multiple times over a set period. This will be followed by a period of monitoring to combat regrowth. 5-year, 10-year and insurance-backed guarantees are available for added peace of mind.
Excavation and burial
Your Japanese knotweed (and the surrounding soil) will be excavated, placed in a special weed-proof membrane, and buried in a hole dug on the site. This saves you paying to dispose of the knotweed at an approved landfill site.
If you’re looking for knotweed removal services in Cardiff, Total Weed Control offer a range of treatment options, so you’re guaranteed to find a knotweed removal method that’s suited to you. In most cases, Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) can be controlled with herbicides. Herbicide application is the recommended course of action for most knotweed infestations since herbicide is significantly cheaper and less disruptive than mechanical removal.
Not only does excavation require the use of heavy machinery, the knotweed must then be transported to a special landfill site for safe disposal. All of this can be extremely costly, so herbicide application is generally preferred unless special circumstances make physical removal the only viable choice (e.g. if the site needs to be cleared for construction).
Our Japanese knotweed specialists are fully trained in invasive weed control and will carry out your knotweed treatment programme in accordance with the latest UK guidelines. To find out more about our Japanese knotweed removal services, please contact Total Weed Control today.
LEARN MORE: What is Japanese knotweed?
Not only does excavation require the use of heavy machinery, the knotweed must then be transported to a special landfill site for safe disposal. All of this can be extremely costly, so herbicide application is generally preferred unless special circumstances make physical removal the only viable choice (e.g. if the site needs to be cleared for construction).
Our Japanese knotweed specialists are fully trained in invasive weed control and will carry out your knotweed treatment programme in accordance with the latest UK guidelines. To find out more about our Japanese knotweed removal services, please contact Total Weed Control today.
LEARN MORE: What is Japanese knotweed?
How Much Does Japanese Knotweed Removal Cost?
“How much does it cost to remove Japanese knotweed?” is one of the most frequent questions we get here at Total Weed Control. The cost of Japanese knotweed removal depends on which treatment plan you go for.
Herbicide treatment starts at £75 (plus VAT) per application. We typically recommend a three-year treatment programme with a two-year monitoring period. This service starts at £1,595 (plus VAT).
Excavation and removal is far more expensive. The total cost will depend on the size and type of site that needs to be cleared—we typically charge around £850 (plus VAT) per square metre for mechanical knotweed removal. This estimate is based on sites with a minimum area of 10 to 15 square metres.
The UK Government has also levied a tax of approximately £85 per tonne of Japanese knotweed waste to be paid on top of the haulage and excavation costs. On request, we can sift the soil using a unique mobile plant to remove Japanese knotweed fragments and reduce the amount of waste that needs to be taken to landfill.
Herbicide treatment starts at £75 (plus VAT) per application. We typically recommend a three-year treatment programme with a two-year monitoring period. This service starts at £1,595 (plus VAT).
Excavation and removal is far more expensive. The total cost will depend on the size and type of site that needs to be cleared—we typically charge around £850 (plus VAT) per square metre for mechanical knotweed removal. This estimate is based on sites with a minimum area of 10 to 15 square metres.
The UK Government has also levied a tax of approximately £85 per tonne of Japanese knotweed waste to be paid on top of the haulage and excavation costs. On request, we can sift the soil using a unique mobile plant to remove Japanese knotweed fragments and reduce the amount of waste that needs to be taken to landfill.
View Our Price List
Japanese Knotweed Removal: Book Your Survey
- Whether you have Japanese knotweed growing on / near your property
- Where it is located
- How much of it there is
We will also give you a no-obligation quote for a suitable treatment plan (if necessary).
Request a Survey
Your Japanese Knotweed Specialists
Total Weed Control are experts in the identification and treatment of Japanese knotweed. We are among the UK’s leading Japanese knotweed specialists, and offer a comprehensive range of services, including:
- Confidential Japanese knotweed surveys
- Herbicide treatment programmes
- Excavation and removal
- Reports for mortgage applications
We have spent years developing our tried-and-tested treatment plans to provide the most effective Japanese knotweed treatment at the best possible price.
Property Care Association Members
Many Japanese knotweed contractors fail to follow the relevant code of practice laid out by the Environment Agency and end up making the spread of this highly invasive plant even worse. Total Weed Control are members of the Property Care Association, and our reports are accepted and approved by the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors (RICS), so you can rest assured that our services meet the very highest standards.
Japanese Knotweed Removal FAQs
What is Japanese knotweed?
Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is an invasive plant that has become a major problem throughout the UK. It thrives in areas like South Wales and South West England, and can be found with increasing regularity nationwide. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to plant or encourage the growth of Japanese Knotweed or allow it to spread.
It is suspected that knotweed was introduced to Britain in the Victorian era, for either decorative purposes or as animal fodder.
One of Japanese knotweed’s defining characteristics is how quickly it spreads. During its peak growing period in summer, it can grow by several centimetres per day! It also has a tendency to form a thick, leafy canopy that prevents other plants from developing.
Knotweed is not toxic to animals or humans, but it does invade viable habitats for native birds, insects, and mammals. Knotweed is strong enough to grow through cracks in walls, tarmac, and concrete slabs – it has even been found in cavity walls and drains.
A Japanese knotweed infestation can have a significant impact on the value of your property, and can affect your chances of getting a mortgage or planning permission.
It is suspected that knotweed was introduced to Britain in the Victorian era, for either decorative purposes or as animal fodder.
One of Japanese knotweed’s defining characteristics is how quickly it spreads. During its peak growing period in summer, it can grow by several centimetres per day! It also has a tendency to form a thick, leafy canopy that prevents other plants from developing.
Knotweed is not toxic to animals or humans, but it does invade viable habitats for native birds, insects, and mammals. Knotweed is strong enough to grow through cracks in walls, tarmac, and concrete slabs – it has even been found in cavity walls and drains.
A Japanese knotweed infestation can have a significant impact on the value of your property, and can affect your chances of getting a mortgage or planning permission.
What do Japanese knotweed’s roots look like?
Japanese knotweed has a highly durable rhizome root system that burrows as deep as 2 metres down and 4 metres in length.
If not handled correctly, cutting up the plant or disturbing the surrounding soil may actually encourage the weed to grow. Even a 3cm fragment of root can quickly establish a new plant system, even after lying dormant in the soil for several years. This is why it’s so important to bring in a qualified Japanese knotweed removal specialist.
If not handled correctly, cutting up the plant or disturbing the surrounding soil may actually encourage the weed to grow. Even a 3cm fragment of root can quickly establish a new plant system, even after lying dormant in the soil for several years. This is why it’s so important to bring in a qualified Japanese knotweed removal specialist.
How do you identify Japanese knotweed?
Identifying Japanese knotweed can be a difficult task. We’ve put together a handy Japanese Knotweed Identification Guide to help you determine whether that suspicious plant on your property is knotweed, or something a little less insidious.
Total Weed Control also offer a knotweed survey service, where one of our Japanese knotweed specialists surveys your property and lets you know whether the invasive plant is present on (or near) your land.
Total Weed Control also offer a knotweed survey service, where one of our Japanese knotweed specialists surveys your property and lets you know whether the invasive plant is present on (or near) your land.
Can you remove Japanese knotweed yourself?
While there are no legal restrictions on who can remove Japanese knotweed, it is strongly advised to not attempt to try and remove knotweed yourself. If knotweed is not removed properly there are many consequences that can come about, ranging from spreading the knotweed further to a £5,000 fine. Read more about why knotweed removal should be left to the professionals here.
Contact Total Weed Control now to book an initial survey and discuss which of our Japanese knotweed removal services would best suit your requirements.
Buying or Selling a House?
It can be difficult to sell a property that’s affected by Japanese knotweed. Buyers are often reluctant to take on the responsibility of ensuring that the plant does not spread. If you’re struggling to sell your home because there’s Japanese knotweed in your garden – or if you’re thinking of buying a house that’s affected by Japanese knotweed – Total Weed Control can help. Our knotweed clearance service comes with an insurance-backed guarantee that should help to reassure buyers and lenders alike.