Japanese knotweed thrives on disturbance and invades environments where soils are routinely disturbed and transported.

• Do not strim, cut, flail or chip the plants as tiny fragment can regenerate new plants and make the infestation harder to control

• Do not attempt to dig out Japanese knotweed, this can actually encourage the plant  into growing faster, therefore colonising an area more aggressively

• Do not move or dump soil which may contain plant material as this may also add to its spread

• Do not attempt to pull the plant out of the ground, as this can expose part of the infectious crowns, stimulating growth

• Do not use unlicensed herbicides close to any watercourses, plants or wildlife

• Do not compost any part of the plant, due to the resilient nature of knotweed it could survive and grow on when the compost is ready for use

• Do not dispose of Japanese knotweed in garden waste allotments as this just transports the plant to new locations

• Do not spread any soil that has been contaminated with Japanese knotweed rhizome as new plants will sprout

• Do not do break the law! – Remember, it is an offence if you cause the spread of Japanese Knotweed either intentionally or unintentionally