Weed Mowing

From Triple Performance
Technical articles - Conserwa - Weeds
Weeding in arable crops Meadows Alternative to herbicides



Mowing is a type of mechanical weeding that consists of cutting the aerial parts of weeds without uprooting them in order to prevent them from flowering and thus producing seeds. This technique requires regular passes in the plot to limit weed development by exhaustion.

The main goal of this method is to reduce the seed bank in the soil.

Objectives of mowing

Reduce the seed bank

Cutting the aerial parts of weeds prevents flowering, so the plant does not produce seeds for the following years.

Weaken the weed

After cutting, the weed must use its reserves to regrow, thus, by repeating mowings, the plant will become exhausted, weaken and potentially disappear. This technique is relevant for perennial weeds.

Decrease weed-crop competition

Once the weed is cut, it captures less light, consequently, it will grow slower which will allow the crop to take over.

Different techniques

Mowing

Mowing consists of cutting plants quite low, often with a mower or a mulcher. It is a fairly effective technique against annual weeds.

It is mainly used:

The main interest of mowing is to prevent seed set.

Lawn mowing

Lawn mowing is a regular cut at a constant height.

It is used:

The main interest of lawn mowing is to maintain constant pressure on weeds.

Topping

Topping consists of cutting only the weed inflorescences that exceed the crop height with a topper. Therefore, the weeds must be taller than the crop (wild oats, field mustard, common ragweed…).

It is necessary to ensure that this mowing does not promote tillering of the weed which could have the opposite effect to the one expected.

The main interest of this targeted cut is to prevent weeds from dominating the crop. The effectiveness of the technique depends on local conditions and intervention windows.

When to mow?

It is important to mow:

  • before flowering to limit seed set
  • when the plant is young to weaken it because it will have to mobilize its resources to regrow
  • as soon as animals leave the pasture for refusal mowings. Alternating mowing and grazing is a good way to fight weeds.

The management mode depends on the weed, its location in the plot, and the soil nutrient status, for example, it is recommended to:

  • fight dock by mowing before the stem appears and frequently
  • fight thistles: mow before flowering, when the thistle reaches 15-20 cm tall, and do this 3 to 4 times a year to weaken the weed
  • fight nettles: mow regularly

It is especially important to avoid cutting weeds when seeds are already formed to prevent their dispersal and to clean the equipment to avoid spreading seeds to different mowed sites.

It is important to repeat the intervention to “wear out” the weeds.

Advantages

  • Limit the use of chemical products.
  • Interesting alternative on plots where weeds are resistant to herbicides.
  • Method compatible with all other weeding strategies.

Limitations

  • Valorization of temporary meadow if the system is not in crop-livestock integration.
  • Seeds of some weed species are disseminated progressively, which reduces the effectiveness of harvesting.
  • Technique rarely effective alone to achieve total weed elimination, which requires time.

Crops that can be mowed

Sources

Antonio Monteiro. 2022. Weed Management. [06/02/2026]. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/19814 ar:جز العشب الضار

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