Home-made weed cutters can be constructed from a sturdy rake head, such as an asphalt rake, tied to a rope in a similar manner. It is thrown into the weeds and pulled to shore. The plants are cut and float to the surface. The individual must then collect the plant fragments and remove them to an upland site to insure that they do not recolonize adjacent areas. Like lawn mowing, this method will not remove the plants from an area, it is only meant to reduce the extent of their growth.
Mechanical harvesters are large machines which cut and collect aquatic plants.
These machines can cut the plants from five to ten feet below the water surface and may cut a swath between 6 and 20 feet wide. The weeds are cut and collected by the harvester and may be retained or deposited in a barge. The vegetation is then transferred to an upland disposal site. The advantage of this type of aquatic weed control is that it immediately opens an area such as boat lanes. It also removes the upper portion of the plant while leaving the lower portion for habitat enhancement.