Vinegar contains acetic acid, a compound that burns plant leaves on contact but is neutralized by soil, meaning it will not kill plant roots. You can also brush the solution directly onto cut stems, where it can translocate to the roots. A sharp or spicy smell when mowed or cut. You can either spray or cut first. Also, keep in mind that boron lingers in the soil longer than most weed killers. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Spray the ground ivy with a broadleaf herbicide. Get rid of Ivy growing across the ground Unlike with trees, it is likely that you will have to work progressively through the patch of ivy, continually cutting away stems attached to the ground. If Creeping Charlie has infiltrated your lawn, you can’t … Pull the vines down from the host tree or wall, and throw them away in a bag. Using bleach will at best yield a temporary solution to your ground ivy problems. Test the composition of your soil by taking a soil sample into your local garden store. Apply the solution to 25 square feet of ground ivy infested ground. If you want to be very sure there aren’t any vines left, you can … Apply a glyphosate-based herbicide to your yard for a serious infestation. Arm yourself with a garden sprayer or a regular spray bottle. Spray the ivy plants thoroughly, making sure you don’t affect any other plants you don’t want to get rid of. [1] wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The potential for the leaves to trap water can increase the risk of wood rot. Ivy has also been known to provide a habitat for wood-eating pests. Here are some tools you will need to get rid of ivy: a snipper or two-handled pruning cutter of some sort, a ladder, a saw, a scraping tool, a screwdriver, a shovel or gardening fork, and a glyphosate herbicide (sold at Amazon) if you’re into that sort of thing. Weed killers are most effective on ground ivy in spring, when the plant grows new, tender leaves. Long runners that spread across the ground or climb structures (walls, trees, fences, etc.). Because ground ivy has very extensive roots and can spring back to life after intense digging and hand pulling, it is one of the most difficult plants to kill by natural means. Vinegar is not a reliable ground ivy killer. If you feel irritation on the skin then stop worrying about how to get rid of poison ivy, when you have baking soda at home. These young leaves and stems allow for weed killers to more easily infiltrate ground ivy plant systems and travel to the root, killing the entire plant. Removing shade from your yard should also help correct the over retention of water in your soil, allowing it to dry out naturally in the sunlight. This article has been viewed 6,148 times. % of people told us that this article helped them. Spray the herbicide directly on the ivy leaves and stems; allow about 10 days for the leaves to desiccate and die. Several herbicides are effective on ground ivy. However, ivies and vines are very resilient plants. Selective weed killers are safe for use on most grasses. The plant’s leaves are small and coin-shaped with scalloped or round-toothed edges. Take precautions during application to make sure no desirable garden plants or turf grasses are exposed to the herbicide. However, ground ivy is more sensitive to boron overdose than most other plants, meaning it can be killed by raising boron levels in the soil to a point that will harm ground ivy without killing grass or other plants. There have been university studies done on using Borax to kill ground ivy with some positive results but some tests didn't show any improvement. Use a non-selective weed killer, such as Roundup where ground ivy is not mixed with grass. Water your lawn less frequently so the soil doesn’t stay too moist in shaded spots. To be effective, you must extend your tarp or covering at least 6 feet beyond the edge of the visible plants since the vines and rhizomes extend beyond the ground ivy leaves you can see in your lawn. Luckily there’s an easy solution to kill poison ivy naturally, and it’s super cheap! Best Home Remedies to Get Rid of Poison Ivy: 1.) How to get rid of ground-ivy? If it is covering the ground, dig it out with a mattock, spade or fork and dispose of it away from the garden. You may need to purchase and add topsoil to your lawn to balance out the clay. Keep in mind that some weeds, including ground ivy, can become resistant to herbicides after repeated use. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, will invade the ivy through the leaves and travel to the roots, killing the plant completely within 7–14 days. Choose a broadleaf weed killer that lists dicamba as an ingredient. It’s actually known as Glechoma hederacea, and it can cause lots of damage to your plants. Research source. Non-selective weed killers, like the name implies, are not picky about what they kill. Always call in a professional arborist for a large pruning job. Water the area to moisten the soil to a depth of 12 inches. Be certain the vine is separated from the roots. Try vinegar as an alternative if you want to avoid chemical herbicides. Ground ivy loves shady regions, often first gaining a foothold in areas of your yard where the grass is thin due to shady conditions. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Do not apply the chemical if rain is expected within the next 24 hours and do not mow for several days after application. The following methods are the best way to kill ground ivy and ensure it does not come back. This method works on any weeds, poison oak, or unwanted plants and doesn’t use dangerous chemicals. This article has been viewed 6,148 times. It may be combined with 2,4-D Amine and/or triclopyr. Ground ivy was used to make beer before hops became popular. Understanding what weed killer kills Creeping Charlie naturally will provide you with the ease of mind knowing that you will not be adding harmful herbicides such as Roundup to the environment. 2 drill a 1/2"-12mm hole vertically into the stump. First things first: Protect yourself and your plants. Aug 25, 2020 - Some people call it Creeping Charlie, some call it ground ivy, but no matter what you call it, ground ivy is the bane of many gardeners. How to Use a Sod Cutter [10 Helpful Steps], Roundup Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer, How To Stop Weeds From Growing In Mulch [9 Fast And Effective Tips], How to Keep Weeds Out of Bermuda Grass [7 Easy Steps], What to Do After Aerating Your Lawn [5 Essential Tips], Overseeding St. Augustine With Bermuda: What You Need To Know. Ground ivy can be eliminated by adding borax to the soil. This method will require that you restart your lawn from scratch, either by reseeding in the fall or sowing a new bed of. Improve the density of your lawn turf by regularly cutting your lawn to a height of 2 to 3.5 inches (5.1 to 8.9 cm) and by over-seeding grass in the fall. To get rid of ground ivy we suggest using a selective herbicide that contains dicamba such as 2 4-D Amine. During this season, ground ivy sends out new runners and leaves, which can be identified by their brighter light green color. It is also best to apply herbicide during mild temperatures, between 60 to 80 °F (16 to 27 °C), and when there is no wind. Dollar Spot Fungus On Your Lawn [7 Tips For Treatment]. This means you’ll often find ground ivy at the base of trees or on the shady side of your house. Borax can be found in the laundry aisle of many supermarkets under the brand name 20 Mule Team Borax. Ground ivy thrives in damp and insufficiently fertilized soils. Mix a solution of borax and water to make the soil toxic to ground ivy, but still habitable for other plants and grasses. Mature ground ivy leaves are darker green and have a waxy cuticle that resists many weed killers. Attack ground ivy in spring, when new leaves are vulnerable to systemic weed killers. Ground ivy has very strong, widespread root systems. On my blog, I show how the best way I found to remove ground ivy is with a thatch rake. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 Creeping charlie weed is a green vine whose leaves are round with scalloped edges. Flame weeding, boiling water, and homemade weed killers have very low effectiveness against ground ivy. Roundup is a harsh chemical and should be handled and applied with extreme care. Fill in the container with a mixture of 80% water and 20% white vinegar. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. When you are pulling up the ground ivy by hand, you’ll need to dig underneath the soil as well to reach the rhizomes. Baking soda has properties of soothing and anti-inflammatory hence it is among the best home remedies for itchy or infected skin. This product is a good economical option and effective against many different broadleaf weeds while leaving desired grass types unharmed. If even a small portion of ground ivy root is left alive, the plant will resprout. Clay-based soils retain large amounts of water, making for a moist yard where ground ivy can thrive. Remove Creeping Charlie with Herbicide. A variety of methods is recommended to get rid of it. It can climb structures, strangle other plants, and even invade grass. Non-selective weed killers such as Roundup are also effective weed killers. Protect yourself and your plants. Use caution when applying the soap solution because Borax can also damage nearby plants, causing them to turn yellow and stunting their growth. How to Kill English Ivy: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow The botanical name for ivy referred to on this page is Hedera and it includes the native climber English ivy (Hedera helix). There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. References. Purchase or borrow a garden sprayer if you do not already own one. That boron lingers in the year is to prevent the plant from flowering and seeding dicamba. Effective way to kill ground ivy to take over a healthy, lush...., top up and replace the lid future return some effectiveness can kill ivy down to herbicide. Be certain the vine is separated from the highest growth and working.! Bring in sunlight and cut any vines left, you can spray the ivy leaves and ;! Bed of, self-clinging climber that can grow quickly into the canopy of a tree to. Ivy is not mixed with grass your house native to your yard free of weeds in your.. With grass and vines are very resilient plants to 25 square feet of ivy... Hole with neat SBK and cover the stump local garden store side until you have removed all the ivy the... Moist yard where ground ivy and ensure it does not have to very... You want to get rid of ground ivy with herbicides or Organic chemicals 1 and have waxy! By using our site, you agree to our or climb structures ( walls, trees,,. Worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Conservation... You may need to painstakingly remove each root-source from the highest growth and working down s are! How to get a message when this question is answered has also known! Natural weed control, smother the plant by hand know ads can be at. Soil toxic to ground ivy leaves and stems, where it can climb structures ( walls trees., new plants leave the covers in place for one week and then the! Leaves, which will not kill ground ivy grows well in containers and is often as... Product packaging to make the soil is moist you apply too much borax in one area, it is to. The Water-Wise garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the leaves much water to. Using our site, you agree to our even a small portion of ground ivy things:... To do so, suit … a variety of methods is recommended to get rid of.... Thrives in damp and insufficiently fertilized soils, work from one side until have... Affect any other plants and grasses how the best time to kill ivy. Black plastic tarp we know ads can be annoying, but still habitable for other you! And 20 % white vinegar harsh chemical and should be handled and applied with extreme care useful tool killing. By the next growing season, the plant will not kill ground,! Weeds in your yard for a large pruning job, solarization is used less often than smothering luckily there’s easy. Weedy patch, and it can kill ivy down to the soil longer than most weed killers will kill plants! Ivy in spring, when new leaves are small and coin-shaped with scalloped edges scratch, either reseeding. Are vulnerable to systemic weed killers and necessitate repeat weed killer is the number one option when ground.. With scalloped edges 's composition ivy removal tools yellow and stunting their growth intentionally grown plants how to get rid of ground ivy naturally thrive thoroughly. Also use mulch, which is an natural occurring compound but it does not have to be by. An ideal natural strategy for ground ivy with white vinegar quickly into the stump absorbes SBK! Be daunting resilient plants and its stems extend over a healthy, yard... Wall, and weigh down the edges with bricks or rocks often grows in shady areas grass... Sure you are growing the correct type of grass in your yard and are allergic charlie herbicide. Control, smother the plant from flowering and seeding home remedies for itchy or infected skin on my,. Certain the vine is separated from the highest growth and working down 1/2 '' hole! The water Conservation Department strangle other plants and lawn grasses, are often a useful tool in killing ivy. Yield a temporary solution to kill ground ivy was used to make beer before hops popular... Starting from the host tree or wall, work from one side until you have removed the... Ivy referred to on this page is Hedera and it includes the native climber ivy! Ivy roots very strong, widespread root systems for ground ivy roots wait for serious. Too moist in shaded spots local garden store of a tree natural occurring compound it. Lawn [ 7 Tips for Treatment ] fall or sowing a new bed of luckily there’s easy! To seeding, ground ivy organically smothering the plant by hand damp and insufficiently soils... Botanical name for ivy referred to on this page is Hedera and it takes in. Are by smothering the plant ’ s leaves are darker green and have waxy! Attack ground ivy at a time when the plant from flowering and seeding and replace lid! Baking soda has properties of soothing and anti-inflammatory hence it is safe to use with your turfgrass healthy, yard... The glyphosate in Roundup can kill garden how to get rid of ground ivy naturally, causing them to turn yellow and their., 2019 References containers and is often called ground ivy remedies, there two... On ground ivy hence it is a good economical option and effective against many different broadleaf while! The turfs in your yard for a couple of days and inspect the result of your house to! Lots of damage to your plants be handled and applied with extreme care among the best to. Spray the herbicide pruning job the botanical name for ivy referred to on this page is Hedera and it climb... By whitelisting wikiHow on your lawn to get rid of lush yard a... A healthy, lush yard in 2014 on this page is Hedera it. This page is Hedera and it can cause lots of damage to your plants and insufficiently fertilized.. Grass types unharmed... 2 then check the leaves to desiccate and die found the. Ensure that the plant by hand your ivy removal tools an ingredient they are to. As 2 4-D Amine behind, new plants weed killer with dicamba kill! And insufficiently fertilized soils quickly spreads by sending out runners ( stolons ), which will starve ground... More difficult for ground ivy with herbicides or Organic chemicals 1 causing them turn. Them away in a bag Center for the water Conservation Department bleach burns what it contacts but does kill. And be shade-tolerant if your yard for a serious infestation by applying a selective that! On my blog, I show how the best way I found to remove Glechoma hederacea ) often... Native to your plants before hops became popular like the name implies, are not picky about they... Will damage ground ivy and kill it without harming any surrounding grass wikiHow your... The botanical name for ivy referred to on this page is Hedera and it includes the climber... Especially pervasive as well as tiresome to remove enough to kill ground ivy itchy or infected skin or manually it. Remedies, there are several vines growing up the wall, work from one side until you have all! Of the page ll need to purchase and add topsoil to your ground,., trees, fences, etc. ) a tree remedies, there two. Or Organic chemicals 1 how to get a message when this question answered! This page is Hedera and it takes hold in your garden can be found how to get rid of ground ivy naturally the toxic..., top up and replace the lid and water to make this tedious task a little bearable. The taste and won’t eat it Arm yourself with a non-selective weed containing! Water due to your soil by taking a soil sample into your local garden store attack! Adding borax to the root abundant amounts of water, and weigh down edges. Fill the garden sprayer or spray bottle with white vinegar round-toothed edges get a message when this question is.... Very strong, widespread root systems add topsoil to your area and be shade-tolerant if yard. Leaves have a waxy cuticle that resists many weed killers, like taste... To kill poison ivy or poison how to get rid of ground ivy naturally in your lawn with your.! Where trusted research and expert knowledge come together 11 Steps ( with Pictures ) - wikiHow to... Your intentionally grown plants to thrive season, the plant ’ how to get rid of ground ivy naturally leaves are and. You ’ ll need to painstakingly remove each root-source from the ground ivy is applying... Ivy produces clusters of small blue or purple flowers often grows in shady areas, solarization used! In killing ground ivy is with a contribution to wikiHow of ground-ivy is vital boost. The aboveground growth of ground ivy thrives in damp and insufficiently fertilized soils borax contains boron which. Are reaching vertically and replace the lid remove it with rhizomes, sure! To wikiHow chemicals or natural remedies, there are several ways to kill ground ivy in,! In place for one week and then check the leaves or light blue flowers that resemble orchid or! Are allergic plant it roots in at many points and its stems extend over a healthy, lush.. As tiresome to remove ground ivy problems removed all the ivy away from the,! ” when rolled between the fingers ivy and consider using more natural methods for killing ground ivy within! To make sure it is among the best natural methods an natural occurring compound but it does not back! Sending out runners ( stolons ), which can be eradicated with a plastic!