There are three main ways of avoiding the spreading of an invasive plant species via manual control. Manual control techniques include activities such as hand-pulling, digging, flooding, mulching, burning, removal of alternate hosts and manual destruction or removal of nests, egg masses or other life stages. These techniques work best on small populations or in areas where chemicals or motorized equipment cannot be used. Manual control efforts must be persistent and several treatments may be needed to reduce or eliminate the target population. If infestations are too pervasive, manual control may become labor intensive and thus not economically feasible. Digging/Hand-pulling: Remove entire root to prevent resprouting. Usually works best with small or young plants, in sandy or loose soils, or when soils are damp. Smothering: Use mulch, black plastic, carpet, or any other impenetrable barrier to cover target plants for at least one growing season. The effectiveness of this technique can be increased by first cutting the target plants and then smothering them. If dealing with a species that produces clones, be sure to cover all stems of the species. Flooding: This is only feasible where water levels can be manipulated to completely cover cut plants for a period of time. The depth of water necessary and the amount of time cut plants should be covered will vary from species to species.
