Mechanical control can be achieved in many instances and is most effective if implemented when pest populations are low. Some examples for insect control include pinching leafrollers, washing aphids off leaves with a garden hose, pruning out tent caterpillars and fall webworms, and various destructive barriers for slugs and weevils.

Mechanical control of weeds can be quite effective early in the season and can be accomplished through simple hand pulling or shallow cultivation. Various types of mulches (bark chips, geotextiles, etc.) can suppress weeds.

Certain plant diseases can be suppressed by pinching off diseased parts and dispatching them. This limits reinfection and the spread of the disease.

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