Creeping Charlie and native plant garden - Ask Extension
Hello!
We have a pollinator garden and we are noticing this spring creeping Charlie is super aggressive. The plants are starting to grow but the cr...
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Creeping Charlie and native plant garden #866115
Asked April 27, 2024, 6:41 PM EDT
Hello!
We have a pollinator garden and we are noticing this spring creeping Charlie is super aggressive. The plants are starting to grow but the creeping Charlie is taking over. Should we just pull it and just pull it and maybe do some reseeding with native seeds if we disturb the soil?
Kandiyohi County Minnesota
Expert Response
To get rid of creeping Charlie (CC) will require pulling every bit you see and it will be about a 3 year effort but worth it. Creeping Charlie just doesn’t go away and has a way of getting in to the center of clumps of perennials making it necessary to dig up the clump to remove the CC. It isn’t nearly as desirable as food for pollinators as native plants. If you need to use a chemical then putting a cylinder made of paper or cardboard around the plant and spraying inside the cylinder can prevent damage to desirable plants. I use a narrow cardboard box. Weed killer can also be painted on with a paint brush. Anything that kills CC will kill your desirable plants.
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/controlling-creeping-charlie/#:~:text=The%20best%20means%20of%20controlling,%2Danisic%20acid)%20or%20triclopyr.
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/insects-diseases-weeds/how-to-get-rid-of-creeping-charlie/
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/control-ground-ivy-creeping-charlie-lawns-and-gardens
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/controlling-creeping-charlie/#:~:text=The%20best%20means%20of%20controlling,%2Danisic%20acid)%20or%20triclopyr.
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/insects-diseases-weeds/how-to-get-rid-of-creeping-charlie/
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/control-ground-ivy-creeping-charlie-lawns-and-gardens