Surrounding seed sources should be eliminated where possible to prevent continual reinvasion. Recommended practices on lands other than high-quality natural areas Initial effort in areas of heavy infestation Repeated and close mowing kills Johnson grass seedlings, prevents seed production, and reduces rhizome growth and regrowth of shoots. Limited early season tillage, however, encourages rhizome growth by spreading pieces of the rhizomes. In a monoculture, livestock may be used to eliminate the Johnson grass by grazing. Maintenance control Preferred treatment is the same as given above for high-quality areas.
Rhizomes break easily and are often left in the ground.
Large mature plants are almost impossible to pull by hand. Spring burns may encourage regrowth. It seldom is effective by itself and allows other weedy species to invade. It may also destroy native species present. Livestock trample the soil and damage other species.