How to Get Rid of Creeping Charlie

How to Remove Creeping Charlie by Hand-Pulling

Hand-pulling is one of the most common—and pet-safe—ways to get rid of creeping Charlie. If you see new growth emerging, you'll likely have to repeat the process to permanently get rid of the plants. The upside is that you won't kill your grass in the process like chemical methods can.

Hand-pulling will kill creeping Charlie, but not grass and it's a pet-safe method to get rid of it. However, several attempts throughout the season are often required to kill the plant entirely. The appeal of this method is that the only part of your yard and garden impacted is the creeping Charlie. 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.

1. Trim the Leaves and Stems

   Trim the leaves and creeping stems from the plant with your gardening shears, leaving just enough above the ground to pull with your hands. Place the trimmings in a lawn waste bag.

2. Soak the Area

   Soak the area with the creeping Charlie using a garden hose. Make sure to thoroughly saturate the soil, and wait about 30 to 60 minutes before proceeding.

3. Loosen Soil

   Loosen the soil with a pitchfork to expose some of the roots and rhizomes (little white roots).

4. Remove the Roots

   Grasp the plant at its base and pull it up to remove the roots. Rework the soil with the pitchfork if the roots are deep so you can remove them all in one pull. Place the entire plant and its roots in the lawn waste bag.

5. Inspect the Area

   Inspect the area with a garden trowel or weed tool for any leftover rhizomes and remove them. Removing all the rhizomes you see will make any subsequent elimination efforts easier.

How to Remove Creeping Charlie With Herbicides

An herbicide or weed-control product can best kill creeping Charlie, especially if the patch is too large to hand-pull. 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 application is fast and effective, it can also kill other things in the area. Be careful not to spray your vegetable garden or neighboring healthy plants.

If you decide to use an herbicide, do so in the fall after the first frost when the plant has reached its prime and before it sends out seeds. Select a day when there will be little wind, and make sure it won't rain or snow within 24 hours of application.

1. Mix Herbicide With Water

   Place the herbicide into a pump sprayer, and mix it with water per the manufacturer's instructions. Be precise. 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.

2. Spray

   Spray the herbicide onto the creeping Charlie, concentrating on the leaves and stems and allowing the solution to soak down to the roots. Be careful of overspray, so you don't hit any nearby foliage you want to keep.

   If creeping Charlie appears in flower beds or adjacent to ornamental plants, use a large piece of cardboard to shield your garden plants from overspray.

3. 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.

How to Smother Creeping Charlie with Newspaper

Some people have succeeded in eliminating creeping Charlie by smothering it with layers of newspaper. You could also use a tarp or cardboard for this method. Smothering blocks airflow and sunlight, weakening the plant so that it's easier to dig up and less likely to return. 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 check 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.

Keep in mind that this method may also kill any plants mixed in with creeping Charlie that end up covered along with it. If resorting to smothering, make sure you're willing to reseed grass or start fresh with new plants entirely. Also, you have to be willing to live with the presence of a newspaper or an unattractive tarp in your beautiful garden while you wait for the materials to do their job.

How to Prevent Creeping Charlie From Coming Back

To prevent creeping Charlie from coming back, check the area weekly for regrowth and pull out the plants. You can also use a pre-emergent weed killer in the spring to help prevent regrowth.

Maintaining a healthy lawn will lower the risk of Creeping Charlie returning. Cut grass often to an appropriate height and water and feed sufficiently. If grass doesn't grow well in a particular area—because of too much shade or poor drainage, for example—look for plants that thrive in those conditions. This can help to prevent creeping Charlie from coming in. 

Tips for Getting Rid of Creeping Charlie

Keep these tips in mind when working to get rid of Creeping Charlie:

• Monitor the area to catch new plants as early as possible. Remember that even the tiniest piece of rhizome left behind will eventually shoot up as a new plant. In most cases, creeping Charlie will likely return after the first hand-pulling.
• Use a selective broadleaf week killer that works specifically on creeping Charlie if electing for chemical control. Make sure the product is suitable to use on your grass variety.
• Know the minimum waiting period between applications of an herbicide. Many broadleaf weed killers can be applied more than once in a season.
• Observe the recommended waiting period before reseeding a lawn or starting any other plants after using a chemical product. Avoid starting edible plants in the area unless your product specifically says it's safe for them.