Hello! First, I want to applaud your efforts to manage invasive species in your landscape.  The efforts you are putting in probably feel intensive but will be beneficial in the long-run. Please know that you are not alone in managing these invasive weeds- they are among the toughest in Minnesota!

The key to managing invasive weeds is to keep up with a regimen over the years.  Creeping charlie, garlic mustard and buckthorn are very good at growing, and so it's not typically the case that you can eradicate them.  With your focused diligence in these early years, you will see a decline in their populations, and dealing with them will require less and less. All this to say, keep it up!

Long-term chemical-free methods to manage creeping charlie start with responsible lawn management practices, such as selecting appropriate grasses that can better compete with weeds.  To remove creeping charlie without chemicals, you can try hand-pulling where possible, repeating this several times over the season.  You can also consider sod-cutting and solarization (also described in the "chemical-free methods" link).  There is some discussion around the pollinator benefits of creeping charlie, and so if the area you describe will not encroach on neighbors, or you don't think the creeping charlie will take over your lawn, you may consider leaving it.   If you want to consider herbicides, those that contain triclopyr are considered most effective. Unfortunately, the herbicides will kill all broadleaf plants in your lawn, including the clover, which you may have learned can improve soil health as well as provide food for pollinators.  To help mitigate this, you can consider applying the herbicides in early spring or late fall, when creeping charlie will be actively growing but the other plants may not. 

With regards to the garlic mustard, the good news is that it is not a perennial, but lives for a couple of years until it flowers, and then dies. Therefore, hand-pulling or mowing them year after year will eventually deplete the seed bank in your soil.  It is very important to pull them before they flower so that they do not produce additional seeds, and it is important to pull their entire root.  Garlic mustard can also be managed with an herbicide spot-sprayed on the green plants that remain over the winter or early spring. 

The thistle is a perennial plant and can also be managed with hand-pulling (while wearing gloves-- a weeding tool also helps to pry out the fleshy taproot). Again, thistle can be managed with spot-spraying herbicide as well. The link I provided lists chemical control strategies, if you decide that is necessary.  

The buckthorn, as you note, may require more involved management strategies and support since it is such an aggressive, woody plant and grows from seeds both from plants on your property and from birds visiting your property. I imagine it is discouraging to see new growth after your efforts.  Given the mature buckthorn population you started with, I expect that there is a large seed bank in your soil. The seeds will remain viable for 2-6 years, so I would be prepared to see seedlings each year for several years.  With ongoing effort, you will see less and less as you deplete the seeds. Hopefully, this knowledge makes each year's flush of seedlings less disheartening. Controlling the new seedlings is just part of your buckthorn management regimen, and your efforts will pay off in the long run.  Because it is spread by birds, none of us is ever truly rid of buckthorn, but it can be managed.

I appreciate your intent to minimize use of chemicals.  It is possible to hand-pull the young buckthorn plants you see, recognizing that disturbing the soil may promote growth of new seedlings. If using herbicides on buckthorn, repeat applications are often needed. For young plants, spraying herbicides on the foliage is considered most effective, and ideally done early in the growing season but can be done at any time you see green leaves. Buckthorn is semi-evergreen, so continues to actively grow early in spring and late into the fall when other plants around it are dormant. This makes treating them during those times preferable, as they are easier to identify and you avoid harming other plants.  More mature plants may require stem injections, basal bark and cut-stem treatments. I cannot comment on the quote you received from the service provider.  

With all weeds, proper disposal will help reduce the risk of further growth from seeds or sprouts. You may want to check with your local municipality to confirm whether weeds can be disposed of in the garbage or yard waste.

Please note: Mention of an herbicide or use of an herbicide label is for educational purposes only. Always follow the herbicide label directions attached to the herbicide container you are using. Remember, the label is the law.

 I hope this helps, and wish you the best of luck.  





Hi! There is a lot of chatter about alternatives to manage creeping charlie. Unfortunately, there isn't research to back up using Dawn, vinegar and Epsom salt. This article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune provides a helpful explanation.