Creeping Charlie, also called ground ivy, is one of the most common lawn weeds in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It spreads aggressively, survives in difficult conditions, and can be frustrating for homeowners trying to get rid of it.
One of the biggest misconceptions about creeping charlie is that weed controls just don’t work. In reality, creeping charlie control happens by using the right products, repeated treatments and changing the growing environment. While a gradual process, creeping charlie can be controlled!
Understanding why creeping charlie grows and how it behaves helps understand how to achieve creeping charlie control.
What Is Creeping Charlie?
Creeping charlie is a perennial broadleaf weed in the mint family. It spreads through creeping runners that grow across the soil surface and root into the lawn. Thus allowing creeping charlie to take over rapidly and form thick mats that crowd out healthy grass.
Homeowners often recognize creeping charlie by:
• Round leaves with scalloped edges
• Low creeping growth
• Purple flowers in spring
• Fast spreading runners
Why Does Creeping Charlie Grow in Lawns?
Creeping charlie usually moves into lawns where grass is thin or struggling. The most common conditions that favor creeping charlie include:
- Shade: Creeping charlie thrives in shady areas where lawn grasses struggle to grow thick and dense.
- Wet Soils: It prefers moist conditions and is commonly found in lawns with poor drainage or excessive watering.
- Thin Turf: Weak lawns caused by drought stress, compacted soil, disease, insects, or low fertility are more likely to develop creeping charlie problems.
- Nearby Infestations: Creeping charlie often spreads from neighboring lawns, landscape beds, or natural areas.
Why Is Creeping Charlie So Difficult to Control?
Creeping charlie is one of the toughest lawn weeds to control because of how it grows. Unlike many weeds, it spreads through interconnected runners that continue regenerating even after visible growth is damaged.
It also has:
• A waxy leaf surface that makes herbicide absorption difficult
• Woody runners that survive pulling and regrow
• A perennial root system that returns year after year
This is why hand pulling or some weed controls usually only provides temporary improvement.
Not All Weed Controls Work on Creeping Charlie
Many store bought weed controls work well on weeds like dandelions but struggle to control creeping charlie. Effective control requires the right herbicide at the right time and at the right rate. bioLawn uses higher quality weed control products designed specifically for difficult broadleaf weeds like creeping charlie.
Why One Spray Usually Does Not Eliminate Creeping Charlie
This is one of the most important things homeowners should understand. Creeping charlie rarely disappears after a single treatment. Because of its aggressive spreading structure, control is usually gradual over multiple applications.
Typically:
• The first treatment weakens the weed
• Future treatments continue reducing spread and density
• Control improves throughout the season
This image shows creeping charlie treated strip of grass on the right after 1 year of treatment.
What Can Homeowners Do to Help?
The best long term defense against creeping charlie is a thick, healthy lawn.
Helpful steps include:
• Improving sunlight reaching the area by trimming or removing trees
• Reducing excessive watering
• Correcting drainage issues
• Overseeding thin turf
• Maintaining proper mowing
Healthy turfgrass helps compete against creeping charlie and slows future spread.
What Should You Expect?
Creeping charlie control takes patience.
Homeowners should expect gradual improvement rather than overnight eradication. Often it can take up to a year to achieve control. Even after successful treatments, creeping charlie can continue spreading from neighboring properties or untreated areas nearby.
With consistent weed control applications and improved lawn density, most creeping charlie infestations can be significantly reduced and managed long term.