This is Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia Japonica).  This particular patch has quadrupled in size in the past ten years, so assuming it continues at the same rate of growth, in another ten years it will have arrived at the boundary of our land.

I might ramble on about the brambles, but they are nothing compared to this botanical thug.  This alien does not creep towards us by the cover of the undergrowth, it just stamps right over it. 

Japanese Knotweed is infamous for being able to grow up through concrete and can propagate itself from the tiniest piece of root.  Fortunately it does not spread by seed in the UK, our Victorian forbears thankfully only imported female plants.  There is a good chance that every single plant in the UK is a clone of one original female plant.

I can well understand why it was introduced to Britain.  As far as ornamental garden plants go it’s just my thing, lots of fresh, green foliage.  I don’t find it unattractive, even in Winter the stems have a pleasing wiggly structure.  Nevertheless, it poses a threat to our native plant species (and native insect species dependent upon them) and smothers all other growth in its path.   Japanese Knotweed is an enemy of bio-diversity.

In its native Japan, knotweed rarely assumes the growth and stature is does in this country as it is kept in check by pests and fungal disease.  Eradication in the UK is a tricky problem.  Great care must be taken when using herbicides near waterways and indeed any where else.  Currently tests are underway to introduce biological controls.  Biological controls need to be selected carefully on the basis that they thrive solely upon the invasive alien plant, and should not pose a threat to any of our native plant species.  It takes time to establish what will work safely but I am hoping a green option for control of knotweed is not too distant. 

Here is a forbidding list of don’ts for Japanese Knotweed!:

• Don’t delay, control and eradicate knotweed as soon as it is spotted. It will only get harder to remove as it grows larger.
• Don’t try to dig it up as this will only lead to an increase in stem density.
• Don’t contaminate council composting schemes with knotweed waste.
• Don’t fly-tip knotweed waste.  (Or while I’m at it anything else!)
• Don’t attempt to chip knotweed or compost it on your pile. It can be composted separately on thick plastic sheeting, only when you are certain it is dead, can it be spread.
• Don’t move it around – always dispose of on site where found.
• Knotweed is considered to be ‘controlled waste’ always obtain approval from relevant authorities before disposing of it.
• Don’t be careless with herbicides.  Follow instructions carefully and only spray on still, windless and dry days.  Obtain approval from Environment Agency if near a waterway.

As our climate changes and we experience warmer winters it is likely that many potentially invasive plants previously killed off by the cold will survive.  It is important now that people become aware of the devastating effects of invasive species.  Increasingly we need to learn how to recognise the space invaders and prevent their spread. 

Here are some other space invaders to look out for; himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), false acacia (Robinia Pseudoacacia), Montbretia (crocosmia x crocosmiflora), fairy fern (Azolla filiculoides) and Rhododendron Ponticum.  Some of these are still available in garden centres, be aware of them and don’t let them escape the garden wall.  To find out more visit  www.nonnativespecies.org. 

This is Himalayan Balsam growing around the car park at our local pub, a ten to fifteen minute walk downstream (now you know why we never get anything done!)  It is unlikely to spread via the water up to us, but people find it very pretty and do pick it and even purposely propagate it.  It shades out native growth and so does need eradicating, this is thankfully a bit easier than getting rid of knotweed and conservation groups often have a blitz on it.  Until next time, sleep well, hope you don’t have any extra-terrestrial nightmares!

Here is a bee, the bumbling sort I might add.  We found her in the dining room this weekend.  I’m guessing she came in with a basket full of logs from the woodstore, where she was probably hibernating for the winter.  She was pretty dozy, I hope she wasn’t unwell, she posed quite passively on this coffee filter paper.  Bumble bees (as opposed to honey bees and wasps) are not generally given to stinging, you’d either have to sit on one or be an extremely annoying person to get stung by one.  We have returned her to the woodstore and hopefully she will be ready to start a new colony of buff-tail bumble bees shortly.  She and all the male bees will die next winter, only the remaining fertilised ’queen’ bees will hibernate ready to start new colonies the following year.  But before then they will all be very useful pollinating our gardens and crops.  Bumble bees don’t make honey in quantities that would be useful to us, for that we must look to their sleeker cousins the honey bees.

Bees are in a spot of bother at the moment.  Their numbers (both bumble and honey) are declining.  Nobody is entirely sure why, and of course, there may be more than one reason for their decline.  Among the reasons given are the varroa mite, this parasite has been particularly devastating in the US where bee populations are purposely moved around the states in order to pollinate sucessive crops.  This movement makes them more susceptible to attack.  Global warming, or at least unpredictable weather patterns are blamed also.  The use of pesticides and modern farming methods, including the introduction of GM crops have been cited in the decline of the bee.  Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) whereby hives are mysteriously abandoned is disturbing.  Parasites that would normally raid empty hives refuse to go near them.  It has been suggested, although not conclusively proved, that the use of mobile phones plays a part in this as it interferes with bee navigation systems.   Oh and Goldilocks tells me that even Dr Who is concerned about the disappearance of bees.  Alien tampering!!!!  The point is that more research and action is needed to help the bee.

Einstein once said that without the bee humankind would only have four years left to live.  DEFRA, on a slightly less alarming note seem a little more laid back about the fate of bees, the opinion seems to be that they are not the only pollinators, a real slap in the face for bio-diversity!   Nevertheless, it is estimated that bees are worth £200m to the British economy per annum and DEFRA is now planning to put some funds (rather meagre some would argue)  into research and strategies to help bees.

We can help bees also.  If you decide to keep honey bees make sure you join up with www.britishbee.org.uk , as with all animals commitment and responsibility is paramount.  You may have a more general interest in helping bees in which case you can sign up with www.saveourbees.org.uk , if you are involved with young children and education they’ll send you some nice resources.  All gardeners, whether urban or rural, can help to create a ‘corridor of flowers’ so that the bumble bee can migrate freely and mate more sucessfully, inbreeding is a problem for bee populations.  You need to create a succession of bee friendly plants throughout the seasons, here are some suggestions:

• Spring – bluebells, daffodils, flowering currants, bugle,  forget-me-nots, pulmonaria, hellebores, hawthorn and pussy willow.
• Early Summer – foxgloves, aquilegia, comfrey, fennel, geranium, pontentilla, snapdragon, thyme, verbascum , astilbe and campanula.
• Late Summer - delphiniums, single-flowered dahlias, eryngium, fuchsias, buddleia, cornflower, penstemons, sedums, verbena bonariensis, lavender and heathers. 

You can make or buy bee hotels, to encourage the solitary bees such as mason bees, or you could buy a bee box (all available from Crocus) to encourage bees into your garden.   Natural Collection do a good range of bee and honey related beauty products and if  you just want to enjoy some honey, then Simply Fair are currently offering a 10% discount on their Equal Exchange fairtrade organic honeys.

I don’t need much encouragement to plant foxgloves, they are one of my all time favourites, the addition of bumble bees crawling in and out of the bells makes them that much more special.  I hope the queen we found this weekend will be sending out her offspring to do just that.