Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
vpost02176

Help identifying and eradicating this weed

vpost02176
18 years ago

I have a plant that I suspect was planted intentionally as a groundcover in my perennial beds. Unfortunately, it's spread rampant into my lawn and everywhere in my garden beds. After digging up these by the bucketful, I'm beginning to realize how difficult they are to get rid of because of the intricate network of roots and the multiple fleshy tap roots that can burrow down a foot and a half. I've also tried landscape fabric under mulch, solarization, and chemicals, but can't seem to get rid of it. So, can anyone confirm the identity and help me out with getting rid of this infestation?

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of weed (3 pictures)

Comments (7)

  • qbirdy
    18 years ago

    It looks like creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea) It is almost impossible to get rid of, or so it seems. Chemicals don't seem to faze in a lot, so I pull as much as possible. I almost like it, actually. If it wasn't so naughty and determined to take over EVERYTHING I'd be tempted to leave it. I just pull and pull and pull, then pull some more. It thrives and will send roots from every node that touches the ground.

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    You have 3 different weeds there....1 is creeping charlie, another is common violet and the 3rd looks to be some sort of a campanula...rapunculis likely....has a root like a carrot and regenerates whole plants from the tiniest scrap of root.
    You can pull or use poisions....but neither respond well to poision unless you use a pre emergant as well.
    Linda C

  • username_5
    18 years ago

    I find (and I think this is what Linda was referencing when she suggested pre-emergents) that when herbicides appear to not kill weeds often they do kill the weed that got sprayed, but new ones grow from seeds quickly so the overall number of weeds in the lawn appears to stay the same.

    That is where the pre-emergent comes in, it prevents germination or kills the new sprout before you ever see it. It is a must have for the heavy seeders. The alternative is to go out and pull/spray every couple weeks to try and get control.

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    But....it takes industrial strength to kill violets....not considering the seeding. Spray normal stuff and the leaves just get a little brown around the edges....and they're baaaaack!
    Linda C

  • vetivert8
    18 years ago

    A possible is to heavily lime the area. I know when I had an overload of sorrel, changing the soil pH in the growing area certainly made it's life very difficult.

    If you grow fine azaleas/rhodos then you probably have a soil pH between 6.5 and 5. If you can get it over 7 and hold it there for a few months that could help.

    The other areas where you may be able to intervene are: in the amount of moisture available to the plants. Going from reliable wet to rare and droughty can be useful; and the amount of sunlight the area gets. And gross feeding through adding compost can change the environment enough to suppress the plants. [Though some are thug enough to just lick their collective chops and go for more...:-( ]

  • kaysbelle
    18 years ago

    On the creeping charlie - the only thing I have found that works is Mule Team Borax and water. My yard used to be full of creeping charlie but after spraying the this mixture, I have NO creeping charlie. (The neighbors have plenty so I have to watch the fence lines for runners!!) I used a mix of 5 tablespoons of Mule Team Borax to one gallon of water and put it in a pump sprayer. (actually I mix five gallons in my sprayer) This mix will not harm the grass unless you mix it very strong. Within 24 hours (on a warm, sunny day) the creeping charlie was shriveling up and was gone in no time. Make sure you spray all of it.

  • JAYK
    18 years ago

    Be careful when using borax for this purpose. The linked article outlines the issue well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: U of Illinois