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Killing creeping Charlie with pet safe alternative #620787

Asked April 03, 2020, 11:34 AM EDT

I am looking for suggestions how to kill creeping Charlie with using pet safe products. Unfortunately one of our dogs has premature bladder cancer and we found out using strong chemicals on lawn can sometimes cause this.

Washington County Minnesota

Expert Response

Hello
Thank you for writing.
Creeping charlie is almost impossible to eradicate. You can pull it from a garden. In a lawn, the chemicals are rarely successful.
On the other hand, Creeping charlie is beneficial to pollinators, especially because it comes out early. The bee colonies are starving and Creeping charlie is a first food.  https://turf.umn.edu/news/creeping-charlie-management-and-value-pollinators

The way to control it is to change lawn management. Most lawns are compacted.  Core aeration and deep thatch removal in the fall, then overseed with a more durable grass especially for shady or dry areas, Fescue works. Let your grass grow taller- the density of roots is higher when the grass is over 3 and a half inches.  If you cut your lawn closer, the roots are shallow and that makes charlie happy.  https://extension.umn.edu/lawncare/mowing-practices-healthy-lawns


Creeping charlie was brought here for its sweet scent, its pretty flowers. It has thrived. Pick your battles.  The garden is your space.  

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