In my defence I would point out that my initial reaction on hearing of the

suggested bio control of Japanese Knotweed – was to contact CABI and in

particular Dr Richard Shaw in an effort to get myself up to speed on what was being suggested. Unfortunately I didn’t get a response to either phone calls or emails.

Instead of keeping quiet and awaiting release of information I put my thoughts in writing - which ended up on my Blog - which ended up being circulated around the internet ….and most of what I said was wrong.

I attended a recent seminar in Sheffield where Dr Shaw explained the reasoning behind the aphid release and the science behind the decisions that have been made….and it all made reasonable sense!!

Dr Shaw explained that the Psyllids (pronounced syllids) are very specific about what they will eat – and if they can’t find their specific food source they will die. SO in theory at least they shouldn’t go round eating any of our native plants. He went on to explain that the Psyllid won’t defoliate the plant (an assumption that I had made) IN FACT - the foliage will actually be more abundant in season two – making the application of chemical control MORE effective…also the plant will be weaker due to the psyllid predation - and thus should be easier to kill…

CABI are assuming that there will be a cycle of peaks and hollows in the

abundance of aphids – one season lots of aphids and a reduction in JK cover – next season less JK therefore less for the aphid to eat therefore it dies back – season three more JK because there are fewer aphids – season four more aphids due to mass of JK growth etc etc in a cyclical pattern (a little like Ragwort and the Cinnabar Moth to those of you familiar with that cycle).

Dr Shaw pointed out that he did not expect that the Aphid would be the one stop answer to all of our Japanese Knotweed problems. CABI also do not expect the Psyllid to kill the Knotweed plant on which it lives. What they are expecting is that a balance will be achieved between the predator and host which will reduce the invasive nature of the Japanese Knotweed and prevent the continued unchecked spread of the plant.

This must be supported by anybody either in the industry or anybody

wishing to see our native countryside protected.

I do still have some concerns about the use of one pest to get rid of another and the fact that the Psyllid has no natural enemies in the UK – however I now feel more inclined to accept the fact that this release is going to happen.

Our approach at Japanese Knotweed Solutions will be to work with the

Government experts - and try to ensure that we continue to offer our clients the most up to date practical advice on controlling and managing Non Native Species.

And in future I shall learn to keep my mouth shut until I am fully aware of all the issues.

Mike C

But… spotted in the papers recently – on a project on which we did actually provide a price – a dead body found in a stand of Japanese Knotweed!

So just when you think that you have had every problem that life can throw at you –

To read the full article click here.

Well forgive me for taking offence – but – surely we all need to be talking about the issues relating to release of a bio-control agent. Let’s get people to discuss non native species – let’s broaden the dialogue and get developers and local authorities educated.

I believe that part of the problem with our Governing bodies that they are all too bloody insular. Unless you are actually in DEFRA or spend weeks ploughing through their tedious website – it’s very very difficult to keep track of what’s going on and what decisions are being made.

The majority of the general population doesn’t even know that DEFRA exists, let alone what it stands for or even what it does. When one attends conferences and seminars held by these ‘boffins’ very few people attend and those that do – already know about the issues and probably wrote a thesis on the subject.

Yet - when the Public were consulted about the potential release of the Psyllid aphid – only 66 people responded….and three of those were from Japanese Knotweed Solutions!

So FORGIVE me if I’m not technical enough - but we have seventy people coming to our seminar – which is four more than responded to the Public consultation.

Sorry for the rant – but I’m disappointed that our legislative bodies are so narrow minded.

Wouldn’t it have been a perfect opportunity to broaden the audience and get the message out amongst a different set of people? Rather than just talking to yourselves – get out amongst the people that pay your wages.

Mike C

So who am I?

I’m just a man who’s intentions are good – please don’t let me be misunderstood… - I think that may be a song lyric – but it sums me up.

I seem to have managed to cultivate an image of being a hard nosed business man – …but it wasn’t always that way…

fading lights and dreamy music…

I originally studied to gain a degree Landscape Architecture, then did a Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Design.

Whilst doing the Post grad course I decided to set up a Design and Build practice and began to carry out high quality Design works throughout the UK. The company expanded to eventually have a team of 6 landscape Architects and 18 site based lads.

As part of the package we offered maintenance work on all of our sites – it was at this time that I began to study invasive non-native plants. I travelled throughout the UK talking about the problems alien species caused – and getting a feel for the issues surrounding invasives.

It quickly became clear to me that alien species were here to stay - and here to cause major problems for construction….

I gained a reputation as being Mr Japanese Knotweed …and so I set up Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

The same lads that had worked for me carrying our landscape works had all the required skills to tackle invasive weeds – chemical treatment and spray certificates, machine licenses, rope access, chain saw license holders – so it was an easy change of direction…

So really I’m just a bloke who saw a problem – and thought – that’s going to become an issue!

The rest is history.

Mike C

I get introduced as ‘this is Mike Clough of Japanese Knotweed Solutions’ and the response is …. ‘so.. what is it that you do?’.

I have taken to answering in my Tony Soprano voice – … ‘I’m in waste management’ or my favourite .. ‘I kill things’….

I have been doing a lot of internet work recently and adding myself onto the likes of ‘linked-in’ (Facebook for grown ups) and Twitter (an outlet for egotists) – but none of these has a section that describes what I do for a living….

I keep wanting to type ‘I kill things’ but there isn’t a box for that particular description….

I don’t consider myself part of an Environmental Group.

I don’t consider myself a Construction Company.

I’m not a Landscaper.

I don’t do Maintenance.

Maybe I need to start a whole new business section under a separate banner – Natural Born Killers – they could make a film about my exploits??

Mike C

Mrs Clough now draws direct comparison between Tony’s business affairs and family life – with the way that I act.

She has even taken to calling me… ‘T’..

So that would make Alex – ‘Christopher’ – Phil would be ‘Pauly’, one scouse ex employee would be ‘Pussy’, another nearer ex employee would be ‘Ralphy’….my Dad could be ‘Uncle Junior’…

Debt collection would involve running people over and breaking arms and legs…

If you haven’t watched the programme this will make no sense…suffice to say I wish I could handle my affairs as well as the Soprano family – things would be much easier…AND… I wish we had an office like the ‘Bada Bing’.

Mike C (‘T’)

Every year tales of instant solutions come and go - along with secret techniques and ‘hush hush’ chemicals…

Most of these stories are nonsense – hokum - designed to baffle the customer and gain work for the less scrupulous contractors.

However - one technique keeps coming back year after year to haunt us all - ‘soil screening’.

Imagine…a technique that allows you to remove the Japanese Knotweed rhizome from the soil – without chemicals – leaving you with clean soil!

Wow fantastic….hold on - warning bells ringing?? What’s that smell?? …is it b*****t..??

Let’s examine the facts:

A typical specification would read – … ‘soil screening is a mechanical process carried out in situ which allows Japanese Knotweed contaminated material to be re-used on site’

The above was copied from one of our competitors ‘specifications’ – word for word – so just take a moment  to take in the information … allows Japanese Knotweed contaminated material to be re-used on site’…

Is this really what you want? Japanese Knotweed contaminated material being re-used onsite?

FACT - It is impossible to remove – ALL - Japanese Knotweed rhizome from soil.

What screening should be used for is to – REDUCE – the amount of rhizome in soil

In recent conversation with a senior member of the Environment Agency he expressed ‘concern’ that screening would be used as a ‘stand alone answer’ to Japanese Knotweed problems – when it should really only be used as part of an integrated approach

YES – screen your soil, YES you will reduce the amount of rhizome – BUT – you will not end up with clean soil.

What you will end up with is a massive number of small fragmented sections of Japanese knotweed – each with the ability to re-grow

THUS – SORRY - YOU WILL NEED A CHEMICAL TREATMENT STRATEGY IN PLACE for a minimum of five years – and will be at risk of re-growth for up to ten years.

Don’t listen to the b*****t artists – talk to the experts, talk to Alex talk to Mike, talk to Dan, talk to Becca, talk to Suzanne…Sophie, Meg, Sarah, Emma, Phil, Mike, Rick, Pete, James – in fact talk to anyone at JAPANESE KNOTWEED SOLUTIONS – we do what it says on the tin.

Mike C

I’m not totally convinced but one has to try these things – it’s all about getting your name out there and anything that helps can’t be bad…

For those of you that don’t understand Twitter (count me amongst them), one gets followers and one gets to follow certain people, for example, I’m following Sir Richard Branson – so I get Sir Richard’s comments about what he’s up to where he is etc and links to articles that he has found interesting.

I’m also following Eva Mendes in the hope that she will give me her phone number – unlikely – but one has to try….

However, just when I thought I had done really well in activating the account and Tweeting – I noticed that my first follower was a fifteen year old schoolgirl! Not sure that’s going to help business or my relationship with my wife….!

Will keep you all posted…see how it goes.

Tweet

Mike C

We are all waiting with baited breath to see if the Government will approve the release of the Psyllid aphid?

Will this be the silver bullet that the boffins are expecting (sorry Dick Shaw if you are reading this!)..?

For those of you that read the blog you will have noticed a change in my perspective on the aphid release – my initial doubts have been assuaged – and replaced by a genuine excitement. I don’t think it’s the answer – but I think it’s going to help – and I think it will be a real godsend to those plagued by JK who have no budget – watch this space – or attend our seminar in March (for details contact Suzanne at JKSL – 0161 723 2000)

As MD of Japanese Knotweed Solutions, I believe we must be supportive of any strategy that provides a ‘Solution’ even if its just one of many solutions available.

We are also waiting with baited breath to see results to our on going field tests of a new ‘green’ strategy – based on composting of rhizome and surface growth of Japanese Knotweed – to produce an inert material capable of being re-used as mulch – watch this space.

The ‘MeshTech’ system continues to produce amazing results on site – we await confirmation of our biggest project to date using the system - which if approved will make a huge difference to 2010….

…SO…all in all an exciting prospect.

Mike C

How about the customer who signs a contract with a payment term of 21 days then – and only then – when the invoice has been overdue for a week – tells us that their …. ‘Accounting system has been changed and they can’t pay us for another 45 days’. So we are looking at over 70 days after invoice before we see a penny…

Strange that their accounting system has been changed three times already this year…..

Duuh – how is a small to medium business supposed to grow!

The Quantity Surveyor (clear throat and spit) tells our accounts department that … ‘there is no point you going down the legal route’… because…. ‘by the time papers have been served – you will have been paid’.

At the other end of the supplier chain – my plant hire company and the tip to which the contaminated material has been sent – all require to be paid when due….on time…. or they wont continue to trade with us.

It appears as if the end client has no requirement to honour his obligations - ….yet still expects us to jump on the next project.

So here at Japanese Knotweed Solutions - it appears that…. we ….are funding the economic growth of the United Kingdom….

Mike C

Ps Anyone wishing to know the name of the client…give me a call 07766 901901