Posted: 16/12/2012 at 12:10
going slightly off track - we have knotweed where I live, but a MUCH bigger problem with gunnera!! someone introduced it to the island 10 or so years ago and it has spread like wildfire, in other peoples gardens, crofts, roadsides, the local village, it is now working its way up the surround hills. the local management committee have an ongoing plan to irradicate it from public spaces, but on private land it is the owners responsibility. We moved here just over 2 years ago now and the house had been empty for over 2 years so we had PLENTY of gunnera in our garden. By this summer we have irradicated it, almost, I found a small piece the other day. We tackled it with Roundup as per instructions the first year - no effect, the second year much stronger solution and applied it 4 or 5 times during the year. Then when it looked dead dug up the roots which still had signs of life in them and disposed of them safely. I think it helped that here last year was the driest anyone can remember and gunnera don't like the dry!! it will be a long process to get rid of it completely from the island, just like getting rid of the mink was!! Moral of the Story - please, please, please be very careful about what you introduce to the area especially if you live in a rural area where things can go unnoticed until its too late!!
