How To Kill Creeping Charlie Weed

Creeping Charlie is an insidious weed that is resilient and adaptable, making it very difficult to control successfully. A member of the mint family, it will quickly fill an empty space with a mat-like cover of small, round, scalloped-edged green leaves punctuated with delicate violet-blue flowers in early spring. 

If you know a few tips and tricks about how to get rid of creeping charlie, you can beat this annoying lawn invader.

Identifying Creepers Charley Weed

Because of its look and growth habits, creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is also known as ground ivy. Creeping charlie weed is a green vine with spherical leaves with scalloped edges. A little purple blossom grows on creeping charlie.

The creeping charlie plant can be recognised by its growth pattern. It is a vine that grows close to the ground and, if left alone, will form a mat-like ground cover. The vines have nodes at each point where leaves develop, and if these nodes come into contact with soil, they will form roots. This is one of the reasons creeping charlie weed is so aggravating; you can not just pluck it up. If a rooted node is left behind, it can grow into a new plant.

How to Kill the Creeping Charlie Plant

1: Hand-remove Creeping Charlie.

Large Creeping Charlie infestations should not be removed manually. It will take too long with little success. But if you see a plant here or there, you can easily remove it with your own hands.

1. Pluck out the roots of Creeping Charlie. Creeping Charlie can cause skin irritation and itching; some people are allergic. Then, trim the weeds by cutting off any free tendrils that are not rooted to the ground to help reveal the weeds.
2. Pull the plant out by its roots. If the ground is hard and dry, water it first to soften it. If the roots are deep, use a rooting tool or cultivator to soften the soil. As you pull, immediately place the plants in a garbage bag.
3. Remove any root parts from the soil. After removing all Creeping Charlie in sight, dig through the dirt with your hands or a tiller to remove any broken root pieces, since they will regrow and put you right back where you started. Any leftovers or stray seeds will reseed themselves.

2: Smother Creeping Charlie to get rid of him.

Extensive deprivation of sunlight will kill big Creeping Charlie infestations. Remember that this weed prefers shade, so you will need to completely block out the sun for this strategy to work. Other plants mixed with Creeping Charlie will die.

1. Cover the Creeping Charlie patch with a tarp or newspaper. Cover the Creeping Charlie with newspaper, tarp, or cardboard to keep it out of the sun. Extend the coverage six to 12 inches beyond the vines and foliage, as the roots below the soil might reach further. To protect the cover from blowing or shifting back, weigh it down with pebbles or bricks.
2. Wait a week. Smothering your Creeping Charlie may take a week or longer, depending on your soil conditions. Replace the lid for a few days if there is any green remaining. Creeping Charlie is dead when shriveled and brown!
3. Remove the dead Creeping Charlie with your hand. Pull the Creeping Charlie out of the ground and dispose of it by hand, or it may reappear from the nodes and roots. It should be a lot easier after they are dead.

3: Use an herbicide to get rid of Creeping Charlie.

If it is in your grass, you can not just smother it. It will also be difficult to manually remove due to the roots of your turf. Herbicides may be used to combat this problem, but beware: Many plant herbicides are non-selective. They kill weeds as well as other plants.

1. The optimal time to pick is a day before or after the first frost. Herbicides work best in the fall, when Creeping Charlie is preparing for winter dormancy. Spray just before or after the first frost, and it will store the herbicide with its winter nutrition. If you spray sooner, spray again before winter. The best way to get rid of it is to weaken it before the winter.
2. Put on protective gear and prepare the herbicide. Wear gloves, clothes, and eye protection. Mix the herbicide in a garden sprayer as directed.
3. Spray on the creeping Charlie. Spray the herbicide on the Creeping Charlie, soaking all the leaves but avoiding the garden plants close. Dispose of any residual spray as directed by the manufacturer. Do not mow for two days after spraying to allow the chemicals to penetrate the plant's roots.
4. Stabilize your lawn to avoid the regrowth of ground ivy. Long-term control of Creeping Charlie requires inhibiting its growth. Weeds have no place on a thick, healthy lawn of turf grass. Keeping your lawn healthy will prevent Creeping Charlie and other weeds from taking root.

How To Prevent Creeping Charlie From Coming Back

There are a few things you can do to keep creeping charlie weed from returning to your lawn:

• Prevent recurrence by applying a spring herbicide.
• Mow your lawn regularly, fertilize and water it, and overseed it in the fall.
• Less water means less moisture for creeping Charlie. Reduce shade by pruning bushes or trees and improving soil drainage.