We have continued testing prototypes of our new rhizome injector.  This product will be used to treat invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) with herbicide. We

Injection into Rhizome through hollow stalk of dead aerial shoot

access the underground rhizomes (which remain alive year-round) through the hollow core of the dead aerial shoots. We inject glyhposate herbicide (Aquamaster, 54% active ingredient) into the rhizome through the hollow core. There are several potential advantages of this technique: by injecting into the heart of the rhizome, treatments should be more effective; the plant can be treated at many different times of the year; less herbicide may be necessary to achieve good results; problems associated with disposing of green aerial shoots (which can easily sprout when contacting soil) can be avoided; and fewer stems will need to be treated while maintaining effectiveness.

How can effectiveness be maintained while treating fewer stems?  Current techniques for killing knotweed require injection into each living green stem for the treatment to be effective.  With this new technique developed at Green Shoots, it is believed that by

Two treated stumps with winter bud

injecting the herbicide deep into the rhizome the herbicide will translocate further within the rhizome to multiple buds (from which stems gow) such as the reddish winter bud shown peeping up through the ground in the photo at left.  Each crown has multiple buds.  By injecting the herbicide into the rhizome, each of these buds should be killed and thus fewer injections should be necessary.

We will keep you posted on the results as the season progresses.