thanx,
Andy

Thank you very much for your inquiry. Creeping Charlie or ground ivy is a particularly problematic weed because of the fact that it is resistant to a number of herbicides, but there are some very effective products available. (One of the things I am assuming here is that you want to control the creeping Charlie in your turf areas.) When searching for a herbicide look for products containing triclopyr. This includes Weed B Gon Purple, Weed B Gon Chickweed, and Weed B Gone Max. If you have other broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, Weed B Gon Max would be a great choice because it contains 4 active ingredients 2,4-D, which is very effective on dandelion, MCPP, dicamba, and triclopyr. The best time to apply your perennial weed control products for species such as creeping Charlie is in fall (October 1-15). At this time weeds will be going dormant and storing nutrients, and if you spray at this time the weed will actually store the herbicide, giving you the best control response. The second best time is in the spring right at and after creeping Charlie flowers.

A second good choice for chemical control is quinclorac (Drive). This is harder to find and is more expensive (it is also better). I have never heard of it being sold in the bigger stores, only Lesco. It can be applied alone or mixed with any three way product (triclopyr does not have to be in the mix) and you will get excellent results. Timing is still the same. The good news about Drive is that is the best post emergence herbicide for crabgrass that I have ever seen. It will come off patent next year, so I suspect is availability will become more widespread.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers
The Yard Doctor

I wonder, is there a down side to using borax?

What would its effect be on the micro heard? Is this something one could use within an organic approach?

Rick

Thanks,
Kris

Thanks
Pam

Please feel free to write directly.

Thanks!

Still not sure what that 20 mule team Borax some of you are talking about. Anyone enlighten me?

Still not sure what that 20 mule team Borax some of you are talking about. Anyone enlighten me?

Rose

I have been reading your frustrations. I want to reiterrate my post from two years ago, and remind you how important timing is for attacking this weed. A couple of applications in late September/early October is the key to beginning to control this monster. Plus, if you use Weed B Gon max over whole yard at this time, you will have an amazingly clean yard the next spring.

Creeping Charlie or ground ivy is a particularly problematic weed because of the fact that it is resistant to a number of herbicides, but there are some very effective products available. (One of the things I am assuming here is that you want to control the creeping Charlie in your turf areas.) When searching for a herbicide look for products containing triclopyr. This includes Weed B Gon Purple, Weed B Gon Chickweed, and Weed B Gone Max. If you have other broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, Weed B Gon Max would be a great choice because it contains 4 active ingredients 2,4-D, which is very effective on dandelion, MCPP, dicamba, and triclopyr. The best time to apply your perennial weed control products for species such as creeping Charlie is in fall (October 1-15). At this time weeds will be going dormant and storing nutrients, and if you spray at this time the weed will actually store the herbicide, giving you the best control response. The second best time is in the spring right at and after creeping Charlie flowers.

1/4 cup Borax mixed with 5 gallons of water, pour into watering cans and apply liberally to the weeds.

Mix the Borax in a quart of warm water first to make sure it dissolves, otherwise you'll be left with chunks.

Borax can be found in most grocery stores in the laundry soap section.

Getting the solution from the 5 gallon bucket to the watering can is the most tedious part of this effort, so I also purchased a small water pump to help with the transfer.

This should not hurt the other vegitation that is already there.

It will most likely take several applications spaced out over days and weeks before you win. Don't give up!!!!

Tonight I just tried spraying a patch with Brush-B-Gon (9% triclopyr) mixed 1/2 strength. No trimec or 2,4-d or glyphosate, just triclopyr. We'll see how it works.

Personally, I will try boron in dilute solutions until the C/C is gone. Probably in late fall, as the good Doctor recommends.

Ref:
http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/weeds/creepingcharlie/creepcharlie.htm

I have spent my summer pulling the CC in my lawn and replanting grass--maybe a losing battle. We will try the herbicides recommended in the fall and more picking in the spring.

- It grows in sun and shade. I've read elsewhere that it won't survive in full sun - WRONG. It does great in the sun.
- Borax is worthless. Don't waste your time. I've tried it and you may as well go out and pee on the lawn for all the good it does.
- Killing the whole yard may seem like a drastic step, but if you want to start fresh, and use a good turf-type fescue that will stay green and healthy even in dry periods this might be the way to go.
- Pulling it out by hand works if your yard is 100 sq ft. For anyone who has a medium to large back yard there isn't enough time in the year unless you are retired and have absolutely nothing else to do with your time. Most of us on a limited time budget need something that works without investing 10,000 hours of time pulling weeds. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Those of you who are horrified at the idea of using any type of herbicide, more power to you. IMHO, there is a time and place for other methods.
- Trimec works if you mix it up about 2 - 3 times the recommended strength and spray in the fall as the Doctor has prescribed. Mid September to October, get out and hit it then search it out again in the spring. It will be there, don't worry. It will take a couple years but you can get it under control if you're serious.
- Have not used Weed-B-Gon Max but it has the right ingredients so it should work also if applied at the right time. Again, in the fall.
- If your yard gets stressed every summer because of drought, you should really look at overseeding or slice seeding in some of the newer turf-type fescues that can survive these conditions better than the ol' KY Bluegrass. Crossfire 21 is good, there are other brands and more of them every year. A yard that has good grass is more likely to prevent these weeds from going too far. However, you will still have to spray or pull new plants to control it. Seeds get transported from anywhere and unless you and every neighbor within 50 miles have eliminated it, you will always see some starts.
- Don't give up on it. You can control it if you're willing to invest a little time and $$.

As an aside, our yard is 1/3 of an acre of a mixture of grasses and that stupid weed. At this point I don't care if the grass dies; the infestation is bad (we spent the last two years treating the incorrect type of weed).

Also, I did see the preference to apply in the fall, but my yard cannot wait that long. I don't want the remaining healthy areas exposed.

I use a large sharp knife and go about 1/4 inch below the soil just under the vine of CC and it does the trick. I leave the leaves that boarder my yard in place until late spring until I am finished removing anything I need to. Now
the grass area is harder. I have tried Round up - even in the fall - no worky worky. So, I have to think of something to spray on them. Thinking of beer. Beer fixes everything. If spraying it on the CC doesn't work - I will just drink the rest. (I really only can drink about half a beer so I won't be wasting).

There, I said it. The sooner you switch your focus from total eradication to simply hoping to control it, the happier you'll be with the semi-acceptable results you can obtain.

I have been battling Sir Charlie ever since my wife and I bought our home seven (yes, seven) years ago, and I've learned quite a bit over those years.

First: As stated, spring (when flowering) and fall (right before and right after first frost) are the best times to concentrate your assault.

When flowering, the plants are using more energy so they're susceptible to treatments. Ditto for fall; they're storing energy to prepare for winter.

Second: treat weekly during these times and roughly monthly during the summer months. Summer success for me is simply controlling the spread. Spring and fall are where you make the real inroads against this pest.

We've gone from having our back yard 30% infested when we first bought the house to about 10% now. He's never completely gone, but he is certainly under control.

Third: The only product we have found that works (and we've literally spent hundreds of dollars on different ones) is TRIMEC.

APPLICATION: We use it in a pump sprayer. Stated mix ratio is 1oz per gallon, but I routinely use 4-5 oz per gallon and have never damaged the surrounding grass.
We spot treat, covering the weeds and a 1-2 foot area around them to get the runners they send out. Do NOT use in flowerbeds; TRIMEC will kill your plants.

I've also obtained permission from both of our offending neighbors to spray 3-4 feet onto their lawns in an effort to help build a buffer zone. (My one neighbor's lawn is 60-70% infested, so you get an idea what we're up against).

I too have read about using Borax in varying concentrations. The trouble with Borax is that it will never break down (ever) and if you use too much or repeat more than once, it'll kill everything and you will NEVER be able to regrow anything..including grass...without replacing your soil. My advice is don't use it...you're playing Russian Roulette with your lawn and might ultimately end up VERY disappointed.

I'm of the opinion that if you're to the point of considering borax, you may as well just use Roundup on the area(s), kill grass and all, and simply plan to re-seed or re-sod. Borax is forever, and if you overdose the results can be catastrophic.

Plan to get intimately familiar with your lawn and your sprayer. This is not a quick fix. There unfortunatly is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to Sir Charlie...

Cheers!

Tired another weird solution in another area. Since I cannot apply the big weed killer stuff on my own because of chemical reactions, I am trying things that i can. Will let everyone know how it goes.

I have Senator Dunlap strawberries, purchased by my grandfolks in the early 1900s. These old strawberries are very prolific ground huggers, very different from modern strawberries that are bred to grow high and hold the berries up off the ground. So far they seem to be tougher than ol Charlie, so I am introducing them to more of my garden as ground cover.

I will find out in a year or two if the strawberries also overpower my lillies, columbines and bluebells.