Homemade Creeping Charlie Killer

While all plants have their place in nature, some are desirable in the yard and others you may prefer to keep out. Weeds that invade the yard and steal the nutrients from the lawn you worked so hard to maintain can be a nuisance. Making a homemade Creeping Charlie killer or DIY poison ivy killer spray can go a long way to giving your lawn the space it needs to thrive.

Glechoma hederacea is a low growing perennial, evergreen creeper that enjoys invading lawns and can often take over a yard when not kept in check. It was introduced to North America by European settlers for ground cover and grows well in shady areas.

This creeping, scalloped leaf weed has many names ranging from Ground Ivy and Creeping Charlie to Run-Away-Robin but is not to be mistaken with Creeping Jenny, which is a non-invasive plant often welcomed in the garden.

DIY Creeping Charlie Killer

While the Creeping Charlie is part of the mint family with a mild minty scent and tiny purple flowers, this doesn’t mean that you want it growing in your yard. It reproduces from seeds and cuttings and can be very aggressive when it comes to taking over your lawn.

Here are a few of our favorite tips for a way to get rid of Creeping Charlie naturally and keep it from taking over your yard or garden. Use simple ingredients or just your hands to eliminate this annoying weed.

Best Weed Killer for Creeping Charlie without Killing Grass

Sometimes, all you need are fundamental tools for removing unwanted pests in the yard. The best weed killer for Creeping Charlie that won’t harm your grass is also one of the most straightforward – your hands. This method works well if you have small patches of these perennial weeds that need removing.

The plant is a common skin allergen among certain people, so wear gloves while weeding Creeping Charlie to prevent possible skin reactions such as itching and rash. If the lawn weed is unusually thick, remove some of the leaves and vines so that you can reach the roots easier.

Do this by pulling up the vines by the handful and use the clippers to trim them away. Place these cuttings into a plastic bag. Avoid pulling these weeds on a windy day to prevent the clippings from floating away and re-seeding.

If you have loose soil, you should be able to pull up the roots of the Creeping Charlie rather quickly. If you have harder ground, then you need to use a little more force by grabbing the weed root at its upper part and pulling with steady pressure.

Continue placing all parts of the weed into the bag as you go along, making sure that you do not leave any trace behind. Apply this simple method as a way to kill broadleaf weeds that may have made a home in your lawn or other unwanted locations.

Home Remedy for Creeping Charlie

If you don’t have the time to spend pulling Creeping Charlie from your yard by hand, try starving the plant. The following method uses the power of the sun as a home remedy for Creeping Charlie.

Eliminating Creeping Charlie

Place a piece of wood, black plastic, tarp, or another object for smothering the Creeping Charlie over the weed. If you have them growing in flower beds, cut a hole into the tarp or plastic and place around the desirable plant so that it can still get the sunlight and rain while the creeper is covered.

Make sure that you secure the plastic or tarp down with heavy objects such as rocks or bricks, and that it covers an area six inches beyond the growth of the creeper. Leave the covered invasive weed sit until it is completely dead.

This strategy may take up to a week or more. Rake up the dead Creeping Charlie and its roots, place into a plastic bag and discard. Cover the garden area with mulch to prevent new plants from growing back.

How to Make a Creeping Charlie Weed Killer Spray

While you could use Roundup or an herbicide that contains dicamba or glyphosate for killing Creeping Charlie, these can be harmful to the environment. You can make a DIY Creeping Charlie weed killer spray that is also a broadleaf weed and dandelion killerusing natural ingredients.

The best time to get rid of Creeping Charlie with a spray is in the autumn. It is during this time that the weed stores nutrients in its root system and stems, so it absorbs the herbicide more readily.

Fill the bottle with white vinegar and add some Epsom salt. Make sure to label the container for future use. Spray the vinegar solution directly onto the leaves of the creeper.

Use the sprayer on a day without wind to prevent over-spraying onto desirable garden plants. Killing kudzu with vinegar is possible, and it works well as weed control for killing dandelions and crabgrass, too.

Killing Creeping Charlie Using Borax

While this process is generally not harmful to turf grass, using this recipe in excess may cause damage to other plants and surrounding grass, so use it sparingly. This recipe is for large, well-established lawns that have an infestation of weeds.

Begin by mixing Twenty Mule Team Borax and warm water in the bucket and stir the solution thoroughly to dissolve the Borax. Add the rest of the water to the solution.

Pour the liquid into a large spray bottle or garden sprayer and apply it uniformly across the entire lawn. The recipe treats 1,000 square feet of grass and weeds. Repeat the process in two weeks.

With a little hard work and the right knowledge, you can create a lush lawn of grass free of aggressive weeds by performing the right lawn care, proper lawn mowing, and utilizing our gardening tips.

Stop invasive plants and prevent infestation by pouring boiling water on them, treating them with vinegar and Epsom salt, using a broadleaf weed killer, or making a DIY homemade Creeping Charlie weed spray.

Homemade Creeping Charlie Killer

Making a homemade Creeping Charlie killer for eliminating weeds from your yard can go along way to creating a healthy lawn, so why not share these Creeping Charlie killer tips with your friends on Pinterest?