Japanese Knotweed Control

Japanese Knotweed Control
Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) is perhaps the most commonly fought weed in North America that hardly anybody knows by name. Other common names for it include "fleeceflower" and "Mexican bamboo," the latter moniker deriving from its superficial resemblance to true bamboo. It shares something else with bamboo: tenacity.

Tips From Japanese Knotweed Specialists
Effective Japanese knotweed control is so highly in demand that there are specialists in the field. One is Jim Glaister, who read my article on Japanese knotweed control and responded with his own unique insights. Glaister works in the UK, where, like in North America, Japanese knotweed is a huge problem.

Japanese Knotweed Removal by Glyphosate Herbicide Injection
Unless you're willing to smother it with tarps and wait for eons, it's difficult to remove Japanese knotweed via organic weed-control methods. It's just too tough. One usually resorts to glyphosate herbicide (Roundup). But it comes down to a question of how you wish to administer it. If you'd rather inject than spray, here's an option.

How to Kill Japanese Knotweed
One way to kill Japanese knotweed (for homeowners) that I have been a proponent of is the smothering method. One astute reader emailed me a very specific question about this method: he wished to double-check on the viability of a smothering agent he was contemplating, before implementing his plan. Read my answer to him here.