Creeping Charlie, also known as ground Ivy or creeping Jenny, is a low-growing plant that has become a nightmare for many landscapers.
It’s easily recognizable by its bright green round leaves and small bluish-violet flowers that bloom in spring.
Apart from the expected seed propagation, the weed can regrow from stolons that take root as it grows close to the ground and break off stems from hand pulling, making it hard to control.
If creeping Charlie is slowly overtaking your lawn or garden, and you’ve no clue what to do, you’re in the right place.
In this post, we will discuss methods you can use to keep creeping Charlie out of your yard.
Quick Ways to End Your Battle With Creeping Charlie
Whether you’re dealing with a small or large infestation or have tried other methods that yielded few results, here are helpful strategies to end the creeping Charlie battle.
Let’s get started.
1. Alter the Conditions
Creeping thrives best in moist soil and shady areas such as under shrubs and trees. Altering these conditions can give you an edge in beating the infestation.
Improving soil drainage or watering your yard less frequently can help decrease the soil moisture levels, discouraging growth.
Additionally, pruning your shrubs and trees to allow more sunlight to reach the ground can weaken and kill the plants.
2. Lawn Maintenance
The ideal conditions for creeping charlie are typically not good for other weeds and turfgrasses, which allows the weed to outcompete them and become fully established.
Improving soil and lawn health through regular mowing (2-3.5 inches), proper fertilizing and watering, and overseeding in the fall can severely limit the weeds.
Ensure you grow the right grass (shade-tolerant under trees) or substitute it for shade-loving plants that can compete with creeping Charlie, such as English ivy, hosta, pachysandra, or vinca.
3. Pulling
Pulling is only a viable solution for small infestations.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s crucial to remove all debris from the area to prevent re-rooting.
4. Cutting
For larger infestations, use a vertical mower to make cuts in the soil and roots and uproot the stems with a rake. However, take extra precautions as this method can spread the nodes and lead to regrowth or worse, damage your grass.
We recommend cutting the weeds between mid-August and mid-September so you can reseed your lawn to boost growth in the injured patches.
5. Postemergence Broadleaf Herbicide
The best way to control creeping Charlie is to apply postemergence broadleaf herbicide. Products with dicamba and triclopyr are indicated for lawns but not flower or vegetable gardens. In such areas, hand pulling or hoeing are preferable.
For the best results, apply the herbicide on actively growing plants around mid to late autumn. Another application in spring (April-June) when the weed is in full bloom is necessary for complete eradication.
Before application, check for these ideal weather conditions:
- Temperature — mid 60s to low 80s
- Little or no wind
- No rain is expected for the next 24 hours after the application
For lawns, it’s best not to mow a few days before and after the application.
Controlling creeping Charlie is not easy and often takes time and effort. However, a consistent control plan that combines any of the methods above with herbicide applications can help keep the weed away from your yard for good.
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.