Controlling Ground Ivy: How To Get Rid Of Ground Ivy

No weed is welcome in your beautiful yard, but one of the worst of the bunch is ground ivy, also known as creeping charlie. This stubborn, persistent, and all-around pain of a weed can quickly take over once it gets entrenched. Don’t let that happen. If you want to learn how to get rid of ground ivy, you’ve come to the right place.

What Is Ground Ivy or Creeping Charlie?

They say, “Know thy enemy,” so before you learn how to get rid of creeping charlie, let’s take a moment to understand this extra pesky weed. Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial, low-growing plant common to many parts of Canada. You can recognize it by its round or kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges and small purple flowers.

What makes ground ivy such a pest in the lawn and garden? First, it spreads quickly, forming dense mats that can choke out grass, flowers, and garden plants. Second, this annual comes back year after year if you don’t do something about it. Oh, and did we mention that it establishes multiple root sets? That means even if you pull up one part of the plant, you might not kill the whole thing.

However, ground ivy isn’t always bad. Some homeowners enjoy putting it in baskets, which can hang from the porch and attract bees and other pollinators. However, if ground ivy finds a way into your lawn, it’s time to start thinking about how to stamp it out.

How to Get Rid of Ground Ivy

Controlling ground ivy is the name of the game, and fortunately, you have several effective methods at your disposal.

Manual Removal

For small infestations, pull on your gardening gloves, arm yourself with a trowel, and manually pull the weed out of the soil. Always pull out all the roots so the plant won’t grow back next year. And remember ground ivy has multiple root systems. So, be sure to check the surrounding area for additional roots.

Natural Remedies

If you’d rather not put chemical herbicides on your lawn or garden, you can try making a non-toxic weed killer at home. Many recipes abound. One option is to whip together a mixture of 120 mL of borax per 4.5 L of water. This should cover roughly nine square metres of land.

Smother the Ivy

A great answer to how to remove ground ivy is to smother it. Cover the affected area with cardboard or thick plastic for several weeks. This method deprives the ivy of sunlight and oxygen and eventually kills it. The downside is that anything under the cardboard or plastic will also die, including grass or other plants next to the ivy.

Professional Help

If you’ve got a serious flood of creeping charlie in your yard, it might be best to throw in the towel and call the professionals. Experienced landscapers can bring powerful herbicides and specialized equipment to stop Charlie from creeping for good.

How to Kill Ground Ivy with Herbicides

If none of the methods above for stamping out ground ivy are right for you, another option is to head to your nearest home improvement or gardening store and pick up a post-emergent herbicide. If the creeping charlie is in your lawn, we strongly recommend using a selective, broadleaf herbicide that specifically targets weeds instead of your grass. Be careful about using herbicides in your garden, as they may also harm the plants you want to keep.

How to Prevent Creeping Charlie

The absolute best way to prevent creeping charlie is to take care of your lawn and garden. Strong, healthy, and lush grass will help outcompete ground ivy so that it never gets a foothold in your lawn.

• Overseed: Ground ivy loves thin or bare patches of grass. Avoiding dead spots on your grass can help prevent weed growth. Overseed these areas of your lawn regularly to keep your grass dense.
• Prune: Ground ivy thrives in shady, cool areas where grass struggles to thrive. Wherever possible, prune away excess branches and foliage to allow sunlight to reach your lawn.
• Mulch: Add mulch to your garden beds to suppress weed growth.
• Monitor Your Property: Keep an eye out for ground ivy and other weeds, especially along the perimeter of your lawn. If you spot a weed, pull it out immediately along with its roots.

Controlling Ground Ivy in Different Areas of Your Property

When considering how to get rid of ground ivy on your property, the best method will depend on where it grows. Different parts of your property may require a different approach.

• Lawns: If you’ve got a lot of creeping charlie in your lawn, we recommend a selective broadleaf herbicide, which should kill the weeds without harming your grass.
• Flower Garden: When it comes to killing weeds in flower beds, Put the herbicides away and opt for manual removal of any ground ivy in your flower garden. Add mulch to suppress the growth of any new ground ivy.
• Vegetable Garden: Avoid using chemical herbicides anywhere you grow food. Use manual weed removal followed by mulch to reduce the chances of weeds returning.
• Around Trees and Shrubs: Some herbicides can damage tree roots, so be careful about using them around trees and shrubs. You can use the smother method with cardboard or plastic in those areas or use the manual removal method if the number of weeds is small.
• Hardscape Areas: If you’ve got creeping charlie along your patio, deck, or walkway, you can use a non-selective herbicide more freely. Be aware that non-selective herbicides will kill all plants and shouldn’t be used on lawns or gardens.

Need Help Eliminating Weeds?

How to get rid of creeping charlie has a lot to do with where the weed is growing in your yard. We’ve given you a handful of useful methods for kicking ground ivy to the curb. Just remember, once you get your weed issue under control, you’ve got to perform regular lawn and garden maintenance to ensure it doesn’t come back.

Don’t have the time or desire to do this type of yard work and weed control? The local pros at The Grounds Guys® can help. We have the expertise and experience to keep your property weed-free. We provide commercial and residential landscaping services throughout to keep your lawn, garden, and property looking its absolute best!

Get started and request a quote today!

This article is intended for general guidance only and is not applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your property and situation. The Grounds Guys are not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of advice and/or guidance derived from its blog content.

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