Flowers Of Happiness

By rwakefield

 Amongst the most invasive of plants in the UK, the Japanese knotweed is the most desstructive and costly of all weeds, and is hated by gardeners throughout the country.

The problem with the herbaceous knotweed plant is that a completely new weed can grow back from even the smallest of segments a section as small as your fingernail left in the ground is able to grow back fully. Cut stems can readily grow in lawns, soil or even in water. In spring, this plant will emerge and rapidly grow into a plant which is up to three metres high.

Small sections of this plant can be spread widely by soil transportation and also by small pieces being carried in waterways. This plant is such a problem in the UK that any soil removed from an area known to have knotweed present cannot be re-used and is supposed to be buried at a depth greater than five metres. The intentional spread of this plant is now illegal in the UK.

The cut plants can survive for up to three years, and are highly resistant to composting techniques. In fact, one of the worst things that can be done is to cut back your Japanese knotweed plant and then put it into the compost. When you come to use the compost on your garden, you can be sure that you will be fostering a great collection of new knotweed plants.

So, what can be done about japanese knotweed? Over an extended period of time you can repeatedly and harshly cut back and dig out the plant and its root system. Although it is difficult to remove all of the plant, over a number of years it is possible to weaken the plant so much that it becomes less of a problem. You must NOT compost the plant, and should not remove the cut sections to another site. Burning is the most effective way to remove the waste sections, where allowed. You must also ensure that rain water cannot wash away your cut sections or roots because this is seen as an intentional spreading of the weed.

Another method of control is to use a weed killer such as Roundup, which can begin the battle of removing this plant. However, even though this type of weed killer is very powerful, it may take many years to completely eradicate the Japanese knotweed from your garden. If you treat the plants more than once a year, such as at the start and middle of the summer, you will be more likely to remove the problem. Consulting a professional is a good idea, they will know the best course of action.

Do not mow or flail knotweed as the tiny fragments will create more plants. If you cut or remove a plant you must either burn it yourself or carefully remove it to a licenced point for destruction. Do not chip the remnants of your plant the chips themselves may grow back into new plants.

Acting quickly at the first sign of the Japanese knotweed is the best course of action. If you are harsh in your removal of the plant (disposing of it safely) then you can prevent the spread of this invasive plant. Don’t forget that this plant is strong enough to cause structural damage to buildings. It can grow back from the smallest fragment and it is very aggressive in its growth. If in doubt at all, call in an expert company to treat and remove your knotweed.

As the Japanese knotweed spreads throughout the UK, along waterways, roadsides and on abandoned land, vigilance is required to make sure that it does not push out many of the weaker native plant forms. There are a number of sites on the Internet who make it their mission to remove this foreign invader. We must all do our part to remove this weed as much as is possible.

Roger is an author and web designer who represents Japanese Knotweed Solutions Limited, (http://www.jksl.com), who are experts in the total removal of japanese knotweed. This dangerous plant is considered to be weeds in the UK, and is known to cause considerable damage and destruction to lawns, walls and buildings and our natural countryside.

Send Flowers To Someone You Love

What Makes Composting Worthwhile
By Paul Hata

 If you’re into organic gardening you probably know by know about compost and how it works wonders to your garden patch. But for the first timers, creating a compost pile is not really on the top of their to-do-list. The question of is composting worthwhile usually comes up and not knowing enough they usually arrive at the easiest answer and course of action. And that’s a nope, I don’t have time for making my own compost. I will settle with the commercially available organic fertilizers and stuff.

First things first, composting is the process of decomposing organic wastes, which can be household wastes or plant remains or a mixture of both, and making them into a dark, earthy, and loose or crumbly substance. Because compost is rich in minerals which most plants need, compost can be made to replace your garden soil.

Most often, however, gardeners use compost to enrich their garden soil. When compost is added the soil, the overall structure of the soil improved allowing it to hold more water and letting air circulate within the soil.

Contrary to some of your perceptions, compost is quite easy to make and is especially easy to use. There are several methods that could be used when creating compost. The following guide shows how easy it is to create it on your own backyard.

I would suggest making your own compost bin to make everything confined to one place. You will avoid making a mess in your backyard if you do so. Plus, temperature and moisture can also be regulated if you construct a compost bin but allow the organic materials to be composted touch the soil. You need to allow your earthworm buddies and other organic microbes help out in the decomposing process.

Although, almost all organic materials could go into your compost pile, a good combination of greens and browns would be better. The greens refer to nitrogen-rich organic matter like fresh grass, leaves, and your scraps in your kitchen. The browns on the other hand refer to organic matter that contains a lot of carbon such as those dried leaves on your backyard, straw and, of course, wood chips or shavings.

A good combination of greens and browns can dictate how fast you will have a finished compost. Admittedly, you will have an edge in this area if you have piled up your experience in compost making. Why? Well, for starters you would probably have timed how fast the final compost is created from the different proportions of greens and browns.

Some, however, would suggest that the best proportion would be 25 percent of your compost pile is made of browns and 1 percent is made of greens.Take note that if you have a large part made up of browns the compost pile will decompose rather slowly. On the other hand, having too much greens on the pile could cause some serious smell.

Other elements that you should always consider when making compost are the air and the amount of water your pile will need. It is best to keep your compost pile damp. This will help in the decomposing process. Air is also needed so make sure your pile is properly aerated. If you do observe that no air is coming in, just turn over your pile. Observe and continuously aerate your pile every until you can already harvest the fruits of your labor.

It takes some effort in creating compost, that part I have to agree. But the results of composting are really worthwhile.

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