Successfully killing creeping charlie is the dream of many homeowners who like a nice lawn. The creeping charlie plant is rivaled only by dandelions in terms of difficulty to eliminate and control. If you know a few tips and tricks about how to get rid of creeping charlie, you can beat this annoying lawn invader.
Identifying Creeping Charlie Weed
Creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is often called ground ivy due to its appearance and growth habits. Creeping charlie weed is a green vine whose leaves are round with scalloped edges. Creeping charlie has a small purple flower. The creeping charlie plant is most easily identified by its growth habit. It is a vine that grows close to the ground and will form a mat-like ground cover if allowed to. The vines have nodes at each of the places where leaves grow and these nodes will form roots if they come in contact with the soil. This is part of the reason that creeping charlie weed is so frustrating, as you cannot simply pull it up. Every rooted node can turn into a new plant if left behind.
How to Kill Creeping Charlie Plant
The first thing to understand when working to get rid of creeping charlie plant is that it, like most lawn weeds, thrives best in an unhealthy lawn. Be sure to use proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing practices when caring for your lawn. While creeping charlie weed is considered a broadleaf weed, it is not affected by all broadleaf spectrum herbicides. The only weed killers that are successful at killing creeping charlie are weed killers that contain dicamba. Even dicamba is only successful if applied several times at the right time. In order to kill creeping charlie, you must apply dicamba based herbicide to your lawn in early fall when creeping charlie plant is growing most actively, which will leave it weakened enough so that it will have a difficult time surviving the winter. You can also apply in the late spring to early summer, but late spring to early summer applications will stall rather than eradicate creeping charlie in your lawn. Also, only apply dicamba herbicide 3 days after mowing and do not mow for 3 days after applying it. This will allow the creeping charlie to grow more leaves, which will cause it to take in more herbicide and then will allow time for the herbicide to work through the plant's system. You can get rid of creeping charlie in flower beds by either hand pulling (after rain or watering works best) or with smothering techniques, either using several layers of newspaper or a thick application of mulch, or even both together. After taking steps to control creeping charlie in your flower beds, keep a close eye out for it to reappear. Immediately remove any small creeping charlie plants that appear. While many sources recommend Borax to kill creeping charlie, understand that this method can also easily kill your other plants as well. Not only that but using Borax to get rid of creeping charlie often does not work. It is best to avoid using Borax for killing creeping charlie. Note: Any recommendations pertaining to the use of chemicals are for informational purposes only. Chemical control should only be used as a last resort, as organic approaches are safer and more environmentally friendly.
FAQs
If you want to treat a small area, you can use a systemic, selective broadleaf herbicide that contains 2,4-D, Dicamba, or triclopyr. Triclopyr will be the most effective for creeping Charlie. If applied properly, these products will not kill lawn grasses and usually only require two to three applications per year.
What kills creeping Charlie permanently? ›
The best means of controlling creeping Charlie is with a postemergence broadleaf herbicide. As with any pesticide, always read and follow label directions.
Will vinegar and dawn kill creeping Charlie? ›
Another way to get rid of Creeping Charlie is to mix an even combination of Dawn dish soap, vinegar, and epsom salt into a spray bottle.
How much borax does it take to kill creeping Charlie? ›
However, creeping charlie weed can be eliminated by using a little boron to kill this tough weed. To create a solution that yields enough borax weed killer for Glechoma hederacea for 1,000 square feet of lawn, Mix 1/2 cup hot water and 1-1/4 cup borax in a small container and shake it until it is dissolved completely.
Will boiling water kill creeping Charlie? ›
Boiling water will kill weeds. To get rid of creeping Charlie, use borax (as in 20-Mule Team Borax) instead of conventional lawn chemicals. All of these remedies are pitched as safe alternatives to chemicals like Roundup, the glyphosate-based chemical that kills anything green.
What is a homemade recipe for killing creeping Charlie? ›
In your pump sprayer (NOT your watering can) mix 1 and 1/4 cups of Borax in 1 gallon of hot water. Shake or stir well until completely dissolved. Then, last but not least, mix in the 1 tablespoon of dish soap. The dish soap will help your homemade weed killer stick to the leaves of the ground ivy.
How deep are creeping Charlie's roots? ›
Creeping Charlie has shallow roots, but make sure you dig as deeply as you need to get all of it out. Check to see if you missed anything. Even a small piece can grow back.
Will Epsom salt kill weeds permanently? ›
Epsom salts (MgSO4) have historically been used as fertilizer; in theory, you could apply them at such high concentrations that they kill plants, but it would take a lot, and could damage soils long-term. ISN does not recommend using Epsom salts as an herbicide.
What fertilizer kills creeping Charlie? ›
GreenView Broadleaf Weed Control plus Lawn Food is an excellent option, when you want an all in one weed treatment and fertilizer. Preen Lawn Weed Control is exclusively for lawn weed control, effective on creeping charlie—and a great option when an additional fertilizer application is not needed.
Will lime help get rid of creeping Charlie? ›
A lime soil conditioner application may help reduce creeping Charlie where there is a pH problem present.
How Long Does it Take to Get Rid of Ants With Borax? Ants should die within 24-48 hours, and not just the ant that took the borax, but those that the ant shares their food with will also die! That's the thing about ants that make them a bit easier to get rid of, they share the food they find with the colony!
Can I sprinkle borax on my lawn? ›
By applying Borax at a rate that is toxic to Ground Ivy, but not strong enough to kill turfgrass, you can safely eliminate some of this invasive weed. You may also get some dieback on clover and a few other weeds. Precautionary note. Do not use a watering can to apply.
Will borax kill weeds permanently? ›
Substances that Kill Weeds Permanently
Keep in mind that bleach is a toxic substance, so it should be used carefully. At higher acidic levels, bleach can burn skin and melt plastic containers, as well as causing dizziness from its fumes. Another product that serves to kill weeds permanently is borax.
How do I get rid of creeping Charlie forever? ›
How to Kill Creeping Charlie With Herbicides. If your patch of creeping Charlie is too big to pull out by hand in this lifetime, you may have to resort to a chemical weed killer. Unless you want to kill every plant in the area, spray just the creeping Charlie with a lawn-friendly product, like a broadleaf herbicide.
Will Dawn soap kill creeping Charlie? ›
1 tsp Dawn dish soap. Still and spray on the creeping charlie. Repeat every 7 to 10 days untill gone.
What kills creeping Charlie the best? ›
The most effective broadleaf herbicide for creeping Charlie contains triclopyr, generally in combination with 2, 4-D, and Dicamba. Standard herbicides without these components won't work as well.
Does creeping Charlie choke out other plants? ›
We know this herbaceous perennial is pretty and can sometimes be the perfect way to fill in some empty ground space in a garden, but creeping Charlie is also a bit of a bully that can quickly choke out some of your other flower favorites. In fact, creeping Charlie may just be one of the biggest creeps in your garden!
Why is creeping Charlie bad? ›
Creeping Charlie is invasive, and can prevent you from growing additional flowers in your lawn. Instead, if you are looking to promote pollinator health in your lawn or garden, we recommend planting a diversity of flowers that produce high quality nectar and pollen consistently.
What is the difference between creeping Jenny and creeping Charlie? ›
The big difference is the color of the flowers. Creeping Jenny blooms yellow and creeping Charlie blooms purple. Creeping Jenny is sometimes mistaken for creeping Charlies, but the flowers are yellow and the leaves are not scalloped.
