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Mechanical
Control
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The
use of mechanical and physical weed control methods is often associated
with agriculture and home gardening. In fact, the number one work
task of the world's human population is hand weeding crops. Even so,
this control method can also be useful in range and wildland weed
control efforts.
The
use of mechanical and physical control really depends upon the type
of weed and its location. Small patches of weeds can be hand-pulled
and dug up, while larger populations make mowing or burning a better
option. In other cases, regrowth from deep perennial roots may make
mechanical and physical methods altogether ineffective.
| Method |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Hand-pulling |
• Highly specific
• Damage to other plants is low
• Minimal equipment cost
• Anyone can do it |
• Labor intensive: most expensive form of weed
control
• No residual control
• Damaged weeds can recover
• Doesn't kill most perennial weeds |
| Tillage: most common |
• Effective against a wide variety of weeds
• Fast |
• Can only be used in crops, pastures, and some
rangeland
• Loss of moisture
• No residual control
• Increased soil erosion
• Mixes seeds in soil
• Doesn't kill most perennial weeds |
| Mowing or Chopping |
• Reduced seed production
• Deplete root reserve
• Can kill a few plants |
• Not effective at killing many weeds
• Has little effect on low growing plants
• Doesn't kill most perennial weeds |
Burning, Heat,
or Electrocute |
• Fire is a natural disturbance that can revitalize
some native plants
• Heating soil or manure will sterilize the seeds. For gardens
or nurseries. |
• Fire can open up new areas for weed invasion
• Removes all vegetation (non-selective)
• Doesn't kill most perennial weeds |
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