Weedkiller, glyphosate weedkiller, repeatedly. Don't get the weedkiller in the stream. And don't transport the knotweed anywhere else in your efforts to get rid of it.

Our council has a leaflet about it. Cut and paste the link below, then click on "Guidance for identification and control" for the online version.

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=19740

Many thanks- I use Roundup the in other parts- would this do or should I try something else
Alan

Roundup is the weedkiller of choice for amateur use in this situation. You'll need to use it several times, some months apart. When you think the knotweed is almost finished off (it goes dwarf and stunted) you need to chop it with a spade to stimulate it into growth again, then apply Roundup to the new growth to kill that off. You'll need to keep an eye on the area for quite some time to make sure it stays dead.

If you decide to burn the dead growth, make sure every part gets really incinerated - rake the embers into the middle - as a favourite trick is to regrow from fragments left on a bonfire site.

The leaflet I gave the link for is well worth reading, or your council may have advice as well.

According to the leaflet I referred you to, if the Japanese knotweed is within 1 metre of a watercourse, or if there is danger of the herbicide making contact with the water, it is considered to be "in or near water" and special conditions apply. If in doubt, phone the Environment Agency on 08708 506560.

Apparently you cant dispose of it in the normal rubbish or green recycling. Not sure how else you can apart from burning it.

Burning it is the only way - and then, you have to do it on site, you can't carry it to another location to burn it.

In Scotland you actually need to contact your local SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) office which, in your case is in Glasgow 0141 945 6350

Anyone want to buy a house?

Is it actually on your land?

And to have a patch 5m x 2m it must have been there some time.