It’s no secret that knotweed is hard to get rid of. For over a hundred years gardeners, landowners and local authorities have tried to a variety of methods of knotweed removal, sometimes with disastrous results. I have no doubt in my mind that knotweed has spread so far and wide across our emerald isle as a direct result of a ‘hack & slash’ approach to Japanese knotweed eradication. Once upon a time gardeners and landowners would simply hack the knotweed down and dump it somewhere else; only to find the knotweed growing back on their own land and the dumping ground.

Since those days we’ve learnt a lot more abut how Japanese knotweed spreads and more importantly, how to properly remove it. Since knotweed is classed as controlled waste, it is an offence to dispose of it in a place it could regrow, so if you’re thinking of simply throwing the cuttings over your hedge, think again. Currently tests are being carried out in the UK for permanent knotweed eradication by introducing in tiny insect which feeds solely on knotweed. Aphalara Itadori is a psyllid native to Japan and is one of the reasons knotweed is not a problem in that part of the world. However these tests in the UK are likely to run for many years as blindly introducing an alien insect could have unforeseen and potential disastrous results.

There is however one method of Japanese knotweed removal which has gone unnoticed by most and that is to eat it! In spring, from mid-April to early May, the young stems are edible as a spring vegetable with a sour flavour not dissimilar to mild rhubarb. This sour flavour complements sweet fruits perfectly and recipes include Apple & Knotweed Pie and Strawberry & Knotweed Pie. Any recipe which includes rhubarb can be substituted with the young shoots of knotweed and having a lemony edge, is a refreshing break from the norm. And by cropping the young shoots year after year will help to weaken the root, or rhyzome base and eventually eradicate the weed. If you have a patch of knotweed in your garden which has left you scratching your head, then eating it is one of the most cost effective knotweed solutions, especially in the current economic climate.

There are plenty of knotweed recipes available on the internet, or if your culinary skills allow you can just try adding knotweed to any dish you feel could benefit from a slightly sour or lemony flavour. Japanese knotweed removal need not be the ultimate gardeners headache, as adding it to your diet is perfect for both hunger and Japanese knotweed eradication!

Carl Liver

If you need to find some Japanese Knotweed Solutions, then make sure to visit us! We have all the tips on Japanese Knotweed Removal.

Photographic Prints of Japanese knotweed from Science Photo Library £10.00 10×8 Print, Japanese knotweed. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) growing rapidly after being cut back. Japanese knotweed is a tough, highly invasive perennial, that was introduced to this country by the Victorians. It grows to two to three metres high every spring, often crowding out native species, its roots grow at least as deep. It is incredibly hard to kill, as less than one gram of living…

Photographic Prints of Shasta knotweed (Polygonum shastense) from Science Photo Library £10.00 10×8 Print, Shasta knotweed (Polygonum shastense). Shasta knotweed (Polygonum shastense) in flower. Photographed on Mount Shasta, Cascade Mountains, California, USA. Chosen by Science Photo Library. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition. Size refers to paper used….

Photographic Prints of Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) from Science Photo Library £10.00 10×8 Print, Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica). Japanese knotweed sprouting in spring. Dorset, UK April 2007. Chosen by Science Photo Library. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition. Size refers to paper used. This item is shipped from our UK lab….

Chinese Knotweed Liquid Extract Tincture 4 Oz (120ml) £16.95 It is a herbaceous perennial vine growing to 2â?”4 m tall from a woody tuber. The leaves are 3â?”7 cm long and 2â?”5 cm broad, broad arrowhead-shaped, with an entire margin. The flowers are 6â?”7 mm diameter, white or greenish-white, produced on short, dense panicles up to 10â?”20 cm long in summer to mid autumn. The fruit is an achene 2.5â?”3 mm long. Chinese Knotweed is considered to be on…

Lifestream Resveratrol Tart Cherry Capsule 200mg Pack of 60 £31.99 …