{"id":650,"date":"2018-07-16T11:59:21","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T11:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coppenwall.com\/estate-agents-blog\/?p=650"},"modified":"2020-01-07T20:52:36","modified_gmt":"2020-01-07T20:52:36","slug":"japanese-knotweed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coppenwall.com\/hub\/2018\/07\/16\/japanese-knotweed\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese knotweed & selling your home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Japanese<\/p>\n

A new survey undertaken by a Japanese knotweed removal firm Environet, and undertaken by YouGov, highlights a nationwide lack of knowledge about this destructive plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A selection of Brits were asked to pick out this plant from five photographs, and a staggering 81% were unable to identify the plant correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly, 6% of participants confused knotweed with common Ivy, which is found in most British gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Japanese knotweed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Japanese knotweed was first introduced to this country from Japan in the middle of the 19th Century, and is considered to be the most invasive plant species in Britain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, it is commonly found on brownfield and wasteland sites. Its presence can add thousands to site costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you identify Japanese knotweed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In spring, reddish-purple fleshy shoots<\/strong> emerge from crimson-pink buds at ground level, and look a little like asparagus stalks. These grow rapidly throughout the summer, up to 2.1m, and turn into tall canes, similar to bamboo. The canes have characteristic purple flecks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"asparagus-style-stem\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Leaves tend to be shield or heart-shaped, and grow in an alternate fashion (in a zig zag pattern) along the stems. The stems die back to ground level in the winter, but the dry canes can remain for several months longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Zig-zag-leaf-pattern\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The creamy-white flowers<\/strong> are produced in late summer and early autumn, and reach up to 15cm per tassel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"japanese-knotweed-flowers\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why is Japanese knotweed so bad?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Left untreated, Japanese knotweed will grow rapidly through the summer months, and push through cracks in concrete, cavity walls, and even drains, causing damage to a property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Left to spread, the root systems underground will continue to expand and be much more costly to tackle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also run the risk of decreasing your overall property value. If it spreads onto neighbouring land, you can be sued for damages, and removal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selling a property<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is your responsibility to check the garden for Japanese knotweed. You will be asked to confirm by your solicitor\/conveyancer if your property is affected by Japanese knotweed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it is, you will need to provide a management plan for its eradication from a professional company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buying a property<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the presence of Japanese knotweed has been declared, your mortgage lender will require assurances that it will be eradicated before agreeing the funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A management plan by a professional company, backed by a transferable guarantee, is sufficient, and is provided by the seller before the purchase is completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to eradicate Japanese knotweed effectively<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Non-chemical controls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When tackling Japanese knotweed, cultural control methods pose some problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n