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Japanese Knotweed - Does it taste nice?
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Katieowl



Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 10 7:49 am    Post subject: Japanese Knotweed - Does it taste nice? Reply with quote
    

Has anyone tried it...

There is a small patch at the bottom of our garden ( ) and I have to say the new shoots look positively delicious.

OH is threatening to weedkiller it later in the year (supposed to be done in July - but he didn't get around to it last year)

I was wondering if I cut it to the ground and cooked it like rhubarb, whether it would encourage new, stronger growth or spreading?? Obviously I don't really think that would be a good idea, but I hate to see anything that is edible, and might actually taste nice, go to waste! Especially as my rhubarb plants are so far off being ready to pick!

https://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Knotweed.html


Kate

fungi2bwith



Joined: 08 Nov 2007
Posts: 167
Location: NE Hants
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 10 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Don't waste it.

I once had japanese knotweed crumble. Very similiar to rhubarb and very tasty. But I haven't come across it near to where I live.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 10 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Its yummy. But be very, very careful; even an inch or two of stem dropped en route to the kitchen can root and become another monstrous, invasive patch of Japanese knotweed!

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 10 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

tis tasty ,pick when young shoots are a few inches tall
rampant round here
iirc it has similar oxalic levels to rhubarb and wood sorrel so too much could be messy ,i have not tried mature leaves or roots for this reason but the liquid one can find in the stems is drinkable and does not taste of much

zigs



Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 524
Location: Somerset
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 10 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

https://www.edible-plants.com/jap_knotweed.html

https://www.ehow.com/facts_5813419_health-risks-japanese-knotweed.html

sarahloo



Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Posts: 125
Location: Reading, Berkshire
PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 10 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Although it's supposedly common and invasive, I've never found any...

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 10 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

sarahloo wrote:
Although it's supposedly common and invasive, I've never found any...


You're very lucky then. The Commons Conservators here spend an enormous amount of time and effort keeping it at bay/under control and we're not even in a particularly bad area for it.

Katieowl



Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales
PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 10 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

When we were in London OH watched the knotweed advancing from the railway UNDER the houses opposite, into their front gardens and said "When it reaches here I'm moving!"
(We were already fighting weed battles from non-gardening neighbours on either side, with brambles and bindweed )

Hey presto...we moved here and had been here about a month when I spotted it at the bottom of the garden!!! There is a big patch in one of the local farmers hedges, and I'm wondering whether he did the groundwork for the septic tank? Must have come from 'somewhere'

I'm resonably confident we can contain it as a weed, and TBH it's not the most unattractive plant ... but best way possible to deter it, I was thinking, was to make it something we were DESPERATE to eat every spring

Kate

Sherbs



Joined: 27 Apr 2007
Posts: 1931
Location: Swansea
PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 10 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Fascinating! it was pretty rampant in our garden when we were kids and we were always told it was poisonous

Hedgerow



Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Posts: 5
Location: Dorset
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 10 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A bit late now (needs to be c. 10 inches tall - now 6 feet!) but to answer the original post - Does it taste nice? Yes! It is "like Rhubarb but nicer" to quote the Mrs (who takes usually takes some convincing with wild foods).

Fed JK and Apple Crumble to c. 15 people and all said it was very good. Some people tried it as JK and Apple Fruit Fool and again it was went down well.

Tried it stir-fried and was less impressed. If you like making fruit wines it might be an interesting one to try.

Do deal with any waste responsibly. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - if a person "causes to grow in the wild any plant which is included in Part II of Schedule 9, he shall be guilty of an offence. JK is in this schedule. It can re-grow from root fragments just 1cm (1/2") long. Trimming it (leaves etc) where you pick is an idea. Leave the roots well alone. Don't compost it!

Hedgerow

https://www.hedgerow-harvest.com


hedgehogpie



Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 684
Location: Kent
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 10 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You might want to read through the link below before you tuck in - not to put you off, but just so that you're aware of the issues. Enjoy, but carefully!

https://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/31364.aspx

12Bore



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 10 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Or read this
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/7768301/Homeowner-turned-down-for-mortgage-due-to-Japanese-Knotweed-in-garden.html

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 10 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

No reference, but I heard a bit on the radio about a bloke (in Cornwall I think) who was refused a re-mortgage because there was JKW close to his house.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 28, 10 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

afaik the tops are unlikely to root
it has become more common round here over the last 50 years but so have most plants now they are not black and acid bitten
killing it is difficult ,mowing and poison and fire help make it cautious for a few days but if repeated enough it will die
some of the 40 year oaks in the hillside plantings have shaded it to death but i recon it has killed many seedlings in the patches where it is
beasty plant in a garden and should be ruthlessly kept away from anywhere that does not need a stem thicket monoculture with minimal diversity

Bernie66



Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft
PostPosted: Fri May 28, 10 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

And as it is widely known as a weed just be sure you don't eat it just after its been treated with weedkiller

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