Mechanical Control
For large infestations specialized brush mowing equipment, such as the Fecon Bull Hog, can be used. Mowing will help remove the competitive height advantage and provide access for chemical treatments on resprouts.
This control approach involves hand or machine removal of interfering plants. Mechanical control practices generally involve cutting the target plant. Manual control involves physically pulling plants. Hand pulling is practical for small isolated infestations and individual plants. Pulling works best on annuals and biennials that will not resprout from root fragments. Hand pulling is not practical for large infestations of perennial weeds and shrubs with extensive root systems which can resprout.
To remove all or most of the root system pull plants when soil moisture is high. This helps prevent resprouting from root fragments. Also, to prevent further spread, pull plants before seeds mature. Keep soil disturbance to a minimum so that other plants do not invade the site.
To control interfering plants, mechanical removal uses tools or machinery. Many weeding tools are available. Mechanical control also involves using loppers and power equipment to cut interfering plants. For larger infestations specialized brush mowing equipment is available. Cutting interfering plants removes their competitive height advantage. When done repeatedly and often, cutting can deplete stored root reserves eventually starving the plant. Cutting at the proper time of year can also prevent seed production. In many instances, cutting or mowing alone is ineffective as many plants respond by producing large numbers of vigorous sprouts. However, mowing may be the only way to start controlling dense infestations of multiple woody interfering plants.
