Harvested Knotweed cane sellers

Submitted by amoebashephard t3_124nbut in vermont

I'm interested in invasive management.

I'm planning on starting pellet production in the next couple of years utilizing the locally invasive Knotweed.

Currently Burlington based, will be moving to Rutland county at some point.

If I offered a price per pound, would people be interested in selling? ATM I'm thinking something like fifty cents/lb to acknowledge the difficult areas they're in, hauling, possibility of grant support or nonprofit status,etc

Possibly additional money for other organic suppression methods, like planting squash on site after cutting.

Feel free to direct message me!

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Comments

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_peteyfourfingers_ t1_jdzznfg wrote

Yes. You are welcome to harvest all the knotweed that you want from my neighborhood.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je04lep wrote

Lol, I'm thinking something like the seaweed gathering model in down east Maine, but I'll post asking if it takes off!

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carco5a t1_je0id2q wrote

Knotweed is choking the creek front stretches on our land and making it inaccessible... I would be delighted to have it removed and set on fire.

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GraniteGeekNH t1_je1flf1 wrote

I'm sure you know this but it's illegal in most states (all states? federal law?) to move knotweed because it replants itself from broken stems. It takes special licenses so it seems harvesting it would be tricky.

You're talking about pellets for burning, right? Isn't the moisture content of knotweed so high that turning them into pellets would be really expensive? That's what has thwarted all the great plans for switchgrass-biomass.

It would be great if something could be done with that *&^%$!!! plant, which is a global invasive nightmare.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je1lgj0 wrote

here's the paper I've been basing the idea of using it as a feedstock for pellets. Both giant and regular knotweed is present in VT.

The thought is to have a solar/bio gas drying facility; and that I would go through the permit process to transport from pickup spots around the state, or that people could schedule pickup.

My hope was to have some sort of system in place to harvest from stream sides legally.

I'm mostly just brainstorming at the moment, and I really appreciate your response!

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HJacqui t1_je2pxhh wrote

Are you sure about it being illegal? It’s illegal in the UK. But I’ve not heard of it being illegal (to remove) anywhere in the us. Don’t get me wrong …would be great to see it’s status changed in the US… but I don’t believe we’re there. Regardless … it’s the WORST!

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GraniteGeekNH t1_je51rsl wrote

Excellent point and you are correct, it does not appear to be illegal. I did the common but flawed online thing of repeating something I had heard as if it was established fact. Shame on me!

Looking at NH Dept. of Agriculture rules I can find nothing that says it is illegal to move, only that it is a really bad idea.

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sn0qualmie t1_je0cdzo wrote

Wait, can squash compete with/suppress regrowth of knotweed? Asking for my entire yard.

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drossinvt t1_je14m86 wrote

As someone who has tried this with both squash and pumpkins... Definitely not. It easily outgrows both.

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sn0qualmie t1_je1my2i wrote

Yeah, it sounded too good to be true. But hope, like knotweed, springs eternal.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je0eezz wrote

I haven't done my own comparison yet, but I've heard from a couple different sites that fight Knotweed that it can help suppress it.

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thisoneisnotasbad t1_je0jnd6 wrote

How can you make any money by paying 50 cents per pound and turning it into pellets when a bag of pellets that weighs 40 lbs costs $8

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amoebashephard OP t1_je0l0a1 wrote

Unsure! I haven't priced everything out yet, but I'm looking at grant money from the state and federal levels to combat watershed erosion.

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thisoneisnotasbad t1_je0njhg wrote

If you offered a removal service you would be booked out forever. Don't offer to pay for removal at all. Having been battling it for about 35 years I still have not found a good method for total eradication. Shit always comes back.

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cprlcuke t1_je0k2s7 wrote

Sure! I’ll go plant some now. See you in the fall! /s

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ScrappleJac t1_je0o119 wrote

Are you looking for dried stalks? I don't think you'd get the removal benefit unless you were processing the roots. Harvesting dried stalks at the end of the season may actually promote knotweed stand growth since they like growing under full sun.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je0pa64 wrote

I'd be looking at buying during two parts of the season- spring/early summer and then before fall;

Initial cutting would get a higher price with squash planting, and I would handle drying/processing in order to get the right moisture content.

Edit: removal at certain points depletes the rhizome and allows for better suppression

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halpscar t1_je0pvvd wrote

Market collection & controlled disposal and charge for taking it away so it doesn't spread from cuttings?

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SashaPurr420 t1_je16wql wrote

You can have all my knotweed for free!

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-_Stove_- t1_je1dywi wrote

I'm scared that the knock-on effect of your success will me folks intentionally farming knotweed...And the associated spread problems.

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Jc01108 t1_je2bxu9 wrote

It is my understanding that the only way to eradicate knotweed is to inject it with weed killer. Spraying it doesn't work, burning it doesn't work, cutting it doesn't work, and digging it up doesn't work.

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Vermontbuilder t1_je6cy6h wrote

Cutting knotweed off at ground level does absolutely nothing to deter the evil plant, it simply regrows. If you prevent it from flowering, it helps suppress the spread of it somewhat.

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wut_the_phuck t1_je00jbe wrote

Not sure if you know this OP, but you can also use the roots for Lyme disease relief.

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HJacqui t1_je2q2yk wrote

Wait…whaaaaaat?!?! Lyme disease relief …really???

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wut_the_phuck t1_je3536f wrote

Yeah, try looking it up. When you do try some different search terms, such as ‘holistic’ & ‘Ayurveda’ and you will get some good resources out there for whatever ails you.

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lildirtfoot t1_je0e3s4 wrote

Can you tell me more about the Lyme disease management? How does that work?

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wut_the_phuck t1_je0to5r wrote

There are quite a few sites talking about this but I think this is a good one describing how beneficial knotweed can be. If you’d like more help please do not hesitate to ask.

https://beneficialbotanicals.com/the-role-of-japanese-knotweed-root-in-treating-bartonella-coinfection-of-lyme-disease/

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wut_the_phuck t1_je0tzz7 wrote

Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) has a wide range of actions.

It is a long list, but worth citing here: antibacterial, antiviral, antischistosomal, antispirochetal, antifungal, immunostimulant, immunomodulant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiatherosclerotic, antihyperlipidemic, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antineoplastic, vasodilator, inhibits platelet aggregation, inhibits eicosanoid synthesis, antithrombotic, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, oncogene inhibitor, antipyretic, cardioprotective, analgesic, antiulcer (slightly reduces stomach acid and protects against stress ulcers), hemostatic, and astringent.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je04x0s wrote

That's not really something I'm interested in turning into a business, and despite all my time outside I've never got a tick.

I've had them on me, but I think a steady diet of garlic and onions stunned em

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wut_the_phuck t1_je05d3q wrote

Haha just thought I would throw that out there. I too have a steady diet of onions and garlic though. I put them both in everything I make.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je05rdl wrote

I have a couple patches I know haven't been sprayed that I gather shoots for salads and pickles

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Aesopscorp t1_je0aqhm wrote

Good for 🐝 late season.

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amoebashephard OP t1_je0d3zn wrote

Unfortunately they suppress a lot of the undergrowth and really contribute to erosion.

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brothermuffin t1_je4jmiu wrote

I’d be worried about some people spreading it so they could sell more. Like when rat control used to pay per rat, so people were making rat hotels left and right to scam in on the cash

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