Alright, so I messed around with some knotweed today and thought I’d share the whole shebang. I’ve been battling this stuff in my backyard for what feels like forever, and I’m trying a new approach, so I figured, why not document it?
First off, I started by identifying the enemy. Made sure it was actually knotweed. You know, the usual: hollow stems, reddish nodes, broad leaves. Then, I geared up. Gloves are a MUST. This stuff spreads like wildfire, and you don’t want it hitching a ride on your skin or clothes.
Next, I went in for the kill. Except, not really. See, the old way was just hacking away at the stems, which is like trimming a bad haircut – it just grows back worse. So, this time, I decided to try a systemic herbicide. I mixed up the stuff according to the label – gotta be careful with that – and then I got to work.
Here’s where it gets a little tricky. Instead of just spraying the leaves (which I’ve done before with zero results), I decided to try stem injection. I used a drill to make small holes in the stems, a couple inches above the ground. Then, I used a syringe to inject the herbicide directly into the holes. It’s tedious, yeah, but the idea is to get the poison right into the plant’s system.
I went over every stem I could find, injecting each one carefully. It took a few hours, sweating in the sun, but I think it was worth it. Now, the waiting game begins. Apparently, it can take a few weeks to see results, but the herbicide is supposed to travel down to the roots and kill the whole plant. Fingers crossed.
After the injection, I marked the treated areas with some flagging tape, just so I know where I’ve been and don’t accidentally mess with it. I also took some pictures for comparison later on. Gotta track progress, right?
And that’s pretty much it for today. I’ll keep you all updated on how it goes. Hopefully, this stem injection method will finally give me the upper hand in the knotweed war. Stay tuned!
- Identified knotweed.
- Geared up with gloves.
- Mixed systemic herbicide.
- Drilled holes in stems.
- Injected herbicide into stems.
- Marked treated areas.
- Documented everything.
Update in a few weeks, hopefully with good news!
