Native to Europe, it was introduced to North America in the 1800s as an ornamental and medicinal plant.
Now, it has proliferated into a hard-to-killlawn weedthat can choke grass and ornamental plants.
This makes it capable of escaping wherever it’s planted, even in a container.
The Spruce
Here’s how to get rid of creeping Charlie plants.
The Spruce
What Is Creeping Charlie?
This ground-hugging plant is an aromatic evergreen and a close relative ofmint.
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
It can be smooth, hairy, or sparsely hair in texture.
Its leaf color ranges from dark green to purple.
It has a fresh minty scent when you are in close proximity.
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
Creeping Charlie is sometimes mistaken as creeping Jenny, the common name forLysimachia nummularia.
At a glance, the two weeds look alike.
Creeping Jenny flowers are yellow.
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
However, this method has fallen out of favor.
The upside is that you won’t kill your grass in the process like chemical methods can.
However, several attempts throughout the season are often required to kill the plant entirely.
You won’t be killing or harming any other plant in the process.
Hand-pulling in the spring before the plant flowers is recommended as an initial eradication attempt for small patches.
Place the trimmings in a lawn waste bag.
Soak the Area
Soak the area with the creeping Charlie using a garden hose.
double-check to thoroughly saturate the soil, and wait about 30 to 60 minutes before proceeding.
Remove the Roots
Grasp the plant at its base and pull it up to remove the roots.
Place the entire plant and its roots in the lawn waste bag.
Removing all the rhizomes you see will make any subsequent elimination efforts easier.
Selectively spray the creeping Charlie with a lawn-friendly product, following the manufacturer’s directions.
An herbicide containing dicamba or 2,4-D will usually be successful.
While an herbicide tool is fast and effective, it can also kill other things in the area.
Too much product can harm your soil, and too little might not kill the creeping Charlie plants.
Use protective eyewear and gloves when handling chemicals.
Be careful of overspray, so you don’t hit any nearby foliage you want to keep.
Leave the Area Alone
Leave the treated area for winter.
In the spring, rake up any leftover weed debris.
Till and amend the soil with a nitrogen-fixing natural fertilizer.
Then, replant or reseed your lawn.
You could also use a tarp or cardboard for this method.
Ensure the newspaper covers the plant completely and isn’t just providing a little shade.
You may want to weigh it down with rocks or bricks so it doesn’t shift.
Give it a week and verify if the weed has any green left.
If so, replace the cover and give it more time.
Remove the plants when they’re shriveled and brown.
you’re free to also use a pre-emergent weed killer in the spring to help prevent regrowth.
This can help to prevent creeping Charlie from coming in.
Mix 2 parts vinegar to 1 part water in a spray bottle and spray it all over the plant.
Vinegar helps to get rid of creeping Charlie by causing foliage dieback.
However, creeping Charlie is a notoriously tricky plant and will likely regrow from its roots.
Kill creeping Charlie permanently by hand-pulling or spraying an herbicide.
Be patient, as it will require repetition of whatever method you choose.
Dish soap can kill creeping Charlie if mixed with equal parts Epsom salt and vinegar.
you’re free to leave creeping Charlie in your garden as long as you manage its growth correctly.
It can be a great plant to attract pollinators or used as a groundcover.
Just don’t leave it unchecked, or it can take over the rest of your garden.
