Mowing, hand pulling, and herbicides are the available and most common methods of removing them. Mowing at a height of 6 to 8 inches will assist with the control of most weeds. Mowing is quick and easily accomplished with little effort. On the down side mowing in the spring is detrimental to seed production of many blooming plants. Mowing is however beneficial late in the season to assist with clean-up and seed dispersal.
Hand pulling is easy and selective weed control can be accomplished.
Depending on the size of the area, hand pulling may not be an efficient choice, however, small numbers of isolated weeds can easily be controlled this way. The last method of weed control involved the use of herbicides. Many are available, but most are selective in nature, meaning some will control grasses, leaving the forbs, and some will control forbs, leaving the grasses. A prairie is a diversified mixture of grasses, forbs and legumes. Herbicides may be used efficiently for spot treatment but over-spraying the entire planting would destroy the heterosity of a prairie.