A prospective homebuyer in Massachusetts recently sought advice on the r/landscaping subreddit after discovering a concerning invasive plant species on a property he had already signed a purchase agreement for.
“During today’s home inspection, the inspector discovered Japanese Knotweed around the property and in front of the neighbor’s garage,” the poster wrote. “The property is next to a salt marsh. Is this a deal breaker? I’ve read horror stories, but I’m not sure they’re exaggerated.”
There are actually many horror stories about Japanese knotweed. Like many invasive plant species, Japanese knotweed was introduced to the United States in the 19th century as an ornamental plant. However, outside of its natural habitat, it has been extremely difficult to control.
“Japanese knotweed grows in dense stands and reaches incredible heights very quickly. This makes it almost impossible for herbivores to eat or trample it to keep it under control,” the National Park Service wrote. “Its roots are also incredibly hardy and the only way to permanently remove a stand of Japanese knotweed is to dig it up completely and remove its rhizomes, which is nearly impossible.”
However, “almost impossible” is not the same as “impossible,” and several commenters on the Reddit thread reported success stories—albeit hard-fought—in dealing with the dreaded knotweed.
“When it’s tall, mow it. Spray it. Dig around a little. Let it keep growing. Mow it. Spray it. Dig around a little. Let it keep growing,” wrote one commenter. “Rinse and repeat. 2 full seasons for the main beds and then another year for stragglers, but virtually no time to do it.”
“We finally hired professionals, but they told us what they do – they spray everything when it’s just starting to bloom in late summer with a mix of triclopyr and glyphosate. You can use a fire hose attached to a tanker, lol. This season it came back MUCH later, smaller, and slower after just one treatment, and they’re doing another one this year,” wrote another, although given the environmental and health concerns surrounding glyphosate – the main ingredient in Roundup – and the underwhelming results, that method is probably not the way to control even an invasive species.
Of course, any solution that requires spraying toxic chemicals in your yard is already less than ideal, especially if you’re near a swamp or other body of water. Several other commenters argued for an exclusion criterion.
“If all else remains the same on another property you like just as much, knotweed would be a deal breaker for me,” wrote one. “We had it along our property line and it was moving toward the concrete foundation. It took several years of being sprayed annually with a harsh pesticide by a licensed landscaping company. Due to the toxicity, local laws did not allow us to do it ourselves.”
“Since it is next to a swamp, I would call a professional who specializes in invasive species removal and protection,” another chimed in.
When planting new plants, it’s always a good idea to do your research beforehand and make sure you’re not allowing something to take root that will require years of hard work and/or tons of money to eradicate. By focusing on native plants instead, you’ll support local pollinators and the ecosystem – and make your life a lot easier in the long run.
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