What is Mechanical Control?

Mechanical Control methods physically disrupt weed growth. Mechanical weed control is the oldest and most often used method worldwide. Tillage, hoeing, handpulling, blading, grubbing, cultivation, mulching and mowing are examples of mechanical control.

What are the Most Commonly Used Mechanical Controls?

Tillage works by disturbing the root system. The objective is to dislodge or cut the root system so the plant dies from drying out before it can reestablish its roots. Tillage easily controls small weeds and is most effective in hot, dry weather with dry soils. To effectively control noxious weeds, repeat tillage each time new shoots emerge (about every two weeks) for one or two growing seasons. Make sure you cut off every plant. Tillage can also kill weeds by burying them. Most annual weeds die when all growing points are buried. Burial is not effective on most established noxious weeds since their underground parts will resprout.

Mowing reduces annual weed growth, but will not prevent seed production because most weeds just flower again closer to the ground. This is especially true with Spotted and Diffuse Knapweed. The knapweed plant will adjust to the level of the mower and will go to seed at only a few inches tall.

Additional Mechanical Control Information

Regardless of what method you use, it is important to have competition for the weeds. If you till the ground and just leave it, the first thing that will come back is a weed. For more information on desirable plant growth, be sure to click on Cultural Control.

Consider using an integrated approach, such as using an herbicide to supplement the control of noxious weeds along with a mechanical or cultural control method. Click on Chemical Control for more information on the use of herbicides.

For a list of Commercial Applicators that do noxious weed cutting, click here.