Mesquite Control: How To Get Rid of Mesquite

Regarded as one of the worst weeds on rangelands due to its invasiveness, potential for spread and economic and environmental impacts, Mesquite has become a rising problem along much of the southwest United States. For cattle operations especially, Mesquite provides a large barrier to improving grazing and wildlife habitat.

While Mesquite does provide some benefits such as cover and food for wildlife and livestock, when unmanaged, it can very quickly dominate an area, taking away the available forage space for livestock. Mesquite also robs the area of moisture.

Mesquite is so hard to control because it resprouts from the base of the plant. You can top kill Mesquite by cutting it, mowing, shredding and fire and still not be able to kill the plant entirely. This can be frustrating for land managers who are having their livelihoods ruined by such a noxious plant.

If you have Mesquite on your property and want it gone, we can help. Our lawn care experts have put together a DIY Mesquite treatment guide which will show you, step-by-step, how to eliminate this invasive tree using our professional quality herbicides.

Identification

Mesquite can be a single-stemmed tree or multi-stemmed shrub that comes from the legume family and looks more bushy than tree-like. While there are 40 different Mesquite species, most consist of branches that grow in a zig-zag shape and they have leaves that are very slender, feathery and fern-like. Mesquite has an extensive root system that can expand to almost 200 feet underground. Depending on the species, Mesquite can grow 20 to 30 feet tall.

Mesquite bears flowers called "catkins" that look like fuzzy clusters of pale green or creamy yellowish flowers that attract insects that pollinate. Their branches can be spiky and thorny and bear seedpods of beans.

Use our description and image above to help you to identify mesquite on your landscape. If you are having trouble identifying mesquite, contact us and we will properly ID the tree for you and offer recommendations of the best professional products for control.

Inspection

Where to Inspect

Mesquite is a woody legume that can rapidly take over a landscape and is known as a particularly big problem for cattle ranchers. They are also commonly seen in desert areas. Walk the area to see where Mesquite is growing, because of how unique it is, it will be hard to miss.

What To Look For

Observe the conditions of the area and the Mesquite tree itself and see what level of growth it's at and how big of a task it will be to carry out a control approach. You should also look for mesquite seeds which can disperse across a rangeland from animals eating the seed and letting the seed pass through the digestive system. Once this is done, you can proceed with treatment.

Treatment

Make sure that before you apply any chemical herbicides that you first are properly protecting your skin and eyes with safety equipment (goggles, gloves and long-sleeved clothing).

We recommend using a selective herbicide like Dicamba Plus 2,4-D to kill mesquite. There are two methods we suggest to treat the mesquite, either via stem spray or leaf spray. You will have to cut the tree down to the stump and then apply the Dicamba Plus 2,4-D Herbicide directly to the stem.

Mesquite that has multiple basal stems would be better treated via the leaf spray method. The only limitation to the leaf spray method is the height of the plant. Larger mesquite would be harder to hand spray.

Step 1: Measure and Mix Dicamba Plus 2,4-D Herbicide

Determine how much Dicamba Plus 2,4-D Herbicide you will need by calculating the square footage of the treatment area. You can do this by measuring (in feet) and then multiplying the area length times the width (length x width= square footage).

The label states to spray 4 pints of Dicamba Plus 2,4-D Herbicide per acre for each crop season. For total control of mesquite, it will take at least 3 consecutive crop seasons.

Step 2: Stem Spray Method

Start by cutting the mesquite down to its stem or stump using a saw or ax. When using the stem spray method, its important to adjust your nozzle to deliver a coarse mist in a narrow cone. Lightly wet the trunk of the Mesquite from ground line, making sure you wet the trunk on all sides.

Stem spray applications are effective at any time of the year. Multiple stem or roughly barked mesquite are more difficult to control. Dense grass around basal stems can reduce the efficiency of this method.

Step 3: Leaf Spray Method

Leaf sprays can be applied with a variety of equipment but the simplest equipment is a basic pump up sprayer or a backpack sprayer for larger trees. You could also hook up a spray rig to a truck. Regardless of the type, a cone nozzle is best to deliver a coarse spray.

With the leaf spray method you spray the foliage lightly until the leaves glisten but not excessively to the point of runoff. However, it is very critical to spray all parts of the plant so that all the leaves have a few droplets of the herbicide.

For leaf spraying, a surfactant may also be necessary to add to the mixture so the product can stick better to the leaves. We recommend Nanotek Surfactant per finished gallon of solution.

Prevention

If control efforts are not followed up on, Mesquite will likely reinvade. Persistence is the key. Monitor your land close to ensure that mesquite is not regrowing. While this may be cumbersome, it's easier to prevent Mesquite than it is to deal with mesquite when it is established and growing.

Key Takeaways

• Mesquite is an invasive tree that has proven to be a major problem in rangelands. Mesquite can withstand fire, droughts, mowing, freezing, and insects.
• Our top recommendation to treat mesquite is a post-emergent treatment of Glyphosate via stem spray or leaf spraying.
• Prevent Mesquite regrowth by keeping a close eye monitoring your land and kill any young plants that may be the start of new Mesquite emergence. Persistence is the key.