Mike Clough's Japanese Knotweed blog

Huanglongbing

July 27th, 2011 by Mike Clough

Sometimes a word just grabs you and you have to write about it…the Asian Citrus Psyllid carries a devastating plant disease called …huanglongbing…which is causing wide spread panic amongst citrus growers.

Why is this relevant?

Well – last year saw the release of the Psyllid aphid in the UK following a public consultation the government decided to take the unusual step of releasing a bio control agent to try and stem the spread of Japanese Knotweed. Japanese Knotweed Solutions fully support the measures taken by CABI (a non-profit organisation) and are in contact with the team of researchers who are monitoring the spread of the insect.

We do have some concerns about possible vectoring of disease by the Psyllid but are assured by the detailed analysis carried out by CABI that this should not be an issue.

However…HUANGLONGBING…

I see people running down the street screaming.

Mike C

Posted in Miscellaneous
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Total Eradication of Knotweed – Guaranteed Bollocks

July 20th, 2011 by Mike Clough

Every once in a while I have a scan through the web sites of our various ‘competitors’ to see what nonsense they are writing. All of them seem to offer guarantees in various disguises – some state insurance backed - when they mean Professional Indemnity, some say £5 million cover – one even says 25 year warranties (…can’t be done)

Here is a classic:

‘We provide guarantees in 5 year increments for up to ten years. We offer two types of guarantee, Standard and Platinum blah blah blah’

Then at the end its states:

‘Please note this does not mean that soils are knotweed free’

Ha….so basically its bollocks then.

Mike C

Posted in JKSL, Warranty
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Arrivederci Japanese Knotweed

July 13th, 2011 by Mike Clough

I’m sure everyone has been dying to know the answer to the question – does Tuscany have any Japanese Knotweed?

So I decided to do some first-hand research…

Landing at Pisa I noticed a decidedly dodgy building which looked an obvious case of ‘leaning’ caused by Japanese Knotweed in the foundations……but no…nothing obvious.

Travelling through the countryside I stared at the fields and fields of sun flowers – no knotweed.

Driving past rows and rows of grape vines …surely there must be knotweed somewhere….nope…nothing…

None in the pool.

None in the Jacuzzi.

…and to be quite honest after the third bottle of Chianti I couldn’t have cared less.

So in Summary of Tuscany - great region, great people – NO KNOTWEED…

Ah well – back to Manchester Airport – spotted some within twenty metres of the runway!

Mike C

Posted in Japanese Knotweed Info
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Systems Rule over Individuals….

July 6th, 2011 by Mike Clough

For many years I have been tied to my desk, tied to my phone and more recently addicted to my Blackberry….well here is some good news – I’M CURED.

I AM NO LONGER THE ‘LINCH PIN’ at Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

I find that I have been able to have two weeks off ….and….NOBODY NOTICED! The ground did not open up and swallow my company, nobody died and the office is exactly where I left it.

This is mainly due to the systems that have been implemented by the team here at Japanese Knotweed Solutions, which mean that no individual person is missed when they are away from their desk.

People often ask me … ‘what is the secret to successful Japanese Knotweed eradication’ – well in one word I would say ‘systems’

….keeping track of what needs to be done and when it needs to happen – this is all done in a cloud somewhere over China – and then spews out of a computer in Radcliffe! OK…OK… IT’S A BIT MORE COMPLICATED …and requires a lot of input from our teams…but you get the gist of it.

The only problem is that I now feel slightly out of date ?? Maybe I need to go live on a little cloud somewhere with a silver harp.

Unlikely – I sold my soul several years ago for the deposit on a Porsche.

Mike C

Posted in JKSL
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Prostrate trouble?

June 28th, 2011 by Mike Clough

Just when you thought you knew all the different types of Knotweed a new one raises its head….or in this case lowers its head….let me introduce Prostrate Knotweed.

It’s fairly easy to identify with smaller leaves and a low growing prostrate form. Actually it’s pretty unlikely that you will see it as it’s still a rare occurrence.

The point of the blog really is to highlight that we must all keep our eyes open to unusual plants (and animals). People are getting in a panic about Japanese Knotweed – but – are they getting in a panic for the right reasons?

I wonder sometimes of I have done too good a job of telling people about invasive weeds?

Recent statements from Santander relating to mortgages seem to ignore the actual problems caused by Japanese Knotweed and ignore the specific situation ….BUT…. go into a knee jerk reaction of ….if there is anything that even looks like JK – NO MORTGAGE –

The point I’m getting at here is that maybe we shouldn’t panic when we see a name of a plant or hear that there is a new form of a plant that has been identified. When we should be focussing on – is whether the plant is really going to be a problem ….

So let’s not think about scare tactics or new named plants to worry about – let’s look more at the situation the plant is in – let’s be specific.

Then let’s be calm and sort out the problems plants from the not so problem ones…

Mike C

Posted in Invasive Weeds Info, Japanese Knotweed Info
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20 year guarantees… 20 years of bullsh*t

June 22nd, 2011 by Mike Clough

Japanese Knotweed Solutions have always been at the forefront of the warranty market for Japanese Knotweed eradication. We were the first company to offer 10 Year Insurance backed warranties and we shall be the first company to offer 20 year Insurance backed warranties….

So…how disappointed was I to see that one of our competitors is ALREADY offering 20 year warranties….

HOLD ON HOLD ON – there are two words missing….’Insurance backed’ ….so it’s actually worth nothing. They might as well offer 100 year guarantees – lifetime guarantees – in fact any type of bloody guarantee they can be bothered to make up.

If you guarantee to do something you need to be able to guarantee that your company will be around to do something about the problem if a problem arises. Unfortunately in the current business climate …none of us can guarantee anything …other than the fact that being in business is hard – I’m told that ‘Death and Taxes’ are the only two things that can be guaranteed (without ‘Insurance backing…’)

So…going back to the competitor offering twenty year guarantees – NOT WORTH THE PAPER THEY ARE WRITTEN ON – if the company ceases to trade (and offering stupid guarantees suggests they are a bit dim) then there will be nobody to do anything, nobody to call and nobody to take responsibility.

Here at Japanese Knotweed Solutions we offer Insurance backed warranties. This means if we cease to trade our insurance company will pay out for any works required on our projects.

Simple really….

Mike C

PS 20 YEAR Insurance Backed warranties will be available SOON…..WATCH THIS SPACE.

Posted in JKSL, Warranty
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Let’s make a Pudding from Japanese Knotweed – NO - hang on a minute ….Lets NOT

June 15th, 2011 by Mike Clough

The next person that tells me ‘oh, you can make a crumble out of Japanese Knotweed can’t you?’ – I will punch in the face.

Thanks to ‘Countryfile’ …EVERY anally retentive idiot now thinks it’s OK to go out into the countryside pulling up Japanese Knotweed and making Jam or crumble or chutney out of the bloody stuff….

Let’s be clear – THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA!

It’s a highly invasive plant that is covered under more legislation than you can shake a stick at – yet some TV reporter thinks it’s a great idea to suggest that untrained idiots go pulling it up to eat is a sensible idea….

Please understand Japanese Knotweed will re-grow from the tiniest of fragments.

The often quoted statement is that ‘a piece as small as a fingernail will re-grow’…..so suggesting to every budding Jamie, Gordon and Delia that cooking with it will help get rid of the plant is just plain bonkers.

Don’t try and digest it, don’t pull it out for your chutney…leave it alone…call an expert…call Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

We PROMISE we won’t eat it ….

Mike C

Posted in Japanese Knotweed Info
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Do it Yourself….?

June 8th, 2011 by Mike Clough

I am often asked whether treating Japanese Knotweed yourself is an option worth considering…?

Well… in these difficult financial times obviously anything that can save you money is worth considering….however if you do decide to tackle the problem yourself… please be prepared for a long battle and possibly an inconclusive victory…

I must be honest after starting to write this blog I have been mulling over in my own head – ‘would I do my own garden if it were JK infested…?’ – I concluded that I wouldn’t…

If you have no intention of moving in the next ten years then perhaps self-help would be an option – but in the current climate I would suggest that most mortgage lenders wouldn’t be happy lending on a property with JK without a professional contractor appointed – who holds a minimum ten year insurance backed warranty.

Getting a mortgage nowadays is difficult enough without trying to sell an amateur eradication strategy to a mortgage provider – it just won’t work.

You need a professional company with a tried and tested methodology who can show previous examples of successfully treated projects. You need to know that they are trading profitably and have a minimum 5 year trading history - with fully paid up insurance bonds and policies…

In short you need Japanese Knotweed Solutions… NOT….. Do It Yourself Solutions

Mike C

Posted in Japanese Knotweed Info, Warranty
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Road Trip

June 1st, 2011 by Mike Clough

Occasionally I think to myself that perhaps the world is taking note and sorting out the Japanese Knotweed problems that we are all over run with….

I have written several articles about the A6 between Buxton and Bakewell, noting the abundant Japanese Knotweed along the road side – and this year it has been treated…HOORAY!

I have written about various patches of Japanese Knotweed in Glossop noting infestations at every major road entering the town – and this year some of it has been treated …. HOORAY!

I have written about a major infestation of Japanese Knotweed in Radcliffe – and offered to treat it free of charge – and this year it has been treated ….HOORAY!

I have noted a huge clump of Knotweed at the end of the M1 as it enters London – this year it has been treated ….HOORAY!

So….it was with great horror that I drove through Oldham and Saddleworth this morning and saw more bloody Japanese Knotweed than I have ever seen in my life…absolutely everywhere….over walls, along rivers, beside railway lines, in gardens, in schools, in playing fields, beside the canal…..aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhh

CAN WE PLEASE GET SOME UNIFORM STRATEGY TOGETHER…. BEFORE I LOSE THE PLOT….

Let’s be clear – this plant is like a contagious disease – unless we all are treated it’s just going to keep coming back….

Mike C

Posted in Japanese Knotweed Info
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Calling all landowners!

June 1st, 2011 by Mike Clough

Whether you own 500 hectares or a 1 acre small holding. Pease see latest article on Ragwort in the May  edition of Smallholder Magazine.

http://www.smallholder.co.uk/news/9023249.Watch_out__Watch_out__Ragwort___s_about/

It’s great to read that the ragwort campaign is still very active and there is still the drive to push not only smallholders but local authorities, large landowners that there is legislation relating to this plant that needs to be followed. It is also positive to see that the Welsh Assembly Government and sending out reminders – ‘The Welsh Assembly Government wishes to remind all landowner/occupiers, Local Authorities, Trunk Road Agencies and Network Rail that they have a statutory responsibility to prevent and control the spread of ragwort under the Weeds Act 1959. It is also a requirement under Cross Compliance.’

If you have any concerns about ragwort or want more information on what the legal requirements are, then please contact is on 0161 7232000.

Posted in Invasive Weeds Info
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