Do you also suffer from the Japanese knotweed? Then you might be wondering if you can just pull these plants out of the ground and throw them on your compost heap or in your worm bin.
Full composting takes place when all green residues to be composted have been at least at a temperature of 55 °C. For Japanese knotweed, killing in composting applies when the temperature has been at least 50 °C for 72 hours (Bardos et al., 2011).
With the Japanese knotweed, it is important to really compost all plant parts at that temperature. Just killing the seeds as in the giant hogweed is not enough. Every piece of plant can grow into a new plant!
To make sure that all parts of the plant have been killed, you need to properly control and control the temperature of your compost heap. And ensure that all plant residues come to that temperature. The latter is only possible if you have a large compost heap that you set up in one go, with e knotweed in the middle. Or if you compost in an insulated compost container.
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| Globe 300 | Aerobin, with thermometer. |
An ordinary compost container is too small and loses too much heat to build up enough heat. In an insulated compost container such as the Aerobin or the Globe, you can compost warm even in winter.
If you have any doubts about your own compost capacity or lack of insulated compost container, it is better to put invasive exotics in the waste bin or burn them. Don’t put them in your worm bin. The vermicompost ensures that seeds germinate very easily. For example, I have often removed young mango trees from my worm box while the mango is notoriously difficult to germinate!
Do not put the plant remains of the Japanese knotweed in the GFT container. Because not all central composting companies have the certificate‘approved processor invasive exotics’. This certificate sets high standards that only a handful of composting companies meet.
By teasing the plants out of the ground and draining them according to the book, you are not yet rid of the Japanese knotweed. Because this plant continues to proliferate underground and every piece of root can grow into a plant again. Do you have any tips on how to eradicate this plant (without Roundup!)? Then share them in the comment field below.