Creeping charlie tactics

[Tom7227]

Saturday on the Big AM1500 the lawn and garden guy said that aeration and lime/gypsum would help control charlie. I've never heard that before. Any thoughts on whether it would be worth it just to deal with creeping charlie. My weed-b-gon didn't touch it this weekend. I know it's not the proper time but the stuff is getting out of control.

Thanks for your time.

Tom

[jentz]

BORAX I dont recall the dose try googleing it.I used it 10-12 years ago, about 3 treatments and it was almost all gone.It takes a number of treatments every 2 weeks but it does work! we're getting into prime time of the year to treat it.

Gypsum is good for dense soils it lubes the fine particles to let air and water through.Lime will adjust the PH but I'd check the PH before applying.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Tom -

Head to John Deere Landscapes by Sam's Club off of Burkle Road. Buy a gallon of Surge, it's going to be spendy, but it'll last you 10 years, unless you can get a couple of bro-in-laws or neighbors to split it with you.

Put 2 oz in a gallon sprayer with 3 drops of Dawn dish soap, then spot spray the charlie.

It'll also work on all of your other broadleaf weeds.

"The CREEP" is VERY bad this year, and is very hard to control right now.

Surge or Momentum FX2 will work.

The Borax trick will work, but Borax stays in the ground, as well as it'll burn the grass if you're too heavy.

I wish I would have listened this weekend, I usually do. I can't believe that would work at all. It would cause more pieces of THE CREEP to be spread around the yard, opening up the soil, causing an even bigger issue.

You MIGHT be able to get a sample pack from Gary or Nick, but I can't guarantee it. They usually save those for the pros, much like getting pills at the doc.

[Tom7227]

Well $265 for 2.5 gallons is a bit rich for me. I could go out and pull them with tweezers for that kind of dough.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I'm not trying to be smart here.....

I know you were tongue in cheek with the tweezer comment, but even that wouldn't work. You have to kill the roots, and pulling with tweezers would just pull the leaf off.

Creeping Charlie is one of the hardest weeds to control, along with Wild Violet.

If you can't find 4-5-6 guys to go in with you and split the cost, I would suggest hiring it out.

You'll end up doing more damage to the good grass trying the Borax, or other home remedies, and big box store solutions are just too watered down.

The only other suggestion I have is to find some "Weed-Free Zone" and try that. I know you'll have heard about it, along with where to get it.

The only problem with my suggestion is they don't sell it in small enough quantities.

As I said earlier, you only need 2 oz in a gallon spot sprayer, but you have to buy it in 2.5 gallon quantities. That's where you need the 4-5-6 guys to throw in $50 and each take 2-3 quarts. That would last each of you 3-4-5 years.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I had great luck with an herbicide called Speed Zone (I think I got it at Fleet Farm). I spot-applied with a pressure sprayer and then repeated the application 7 days later, and it totally cleared up my creeping charlie. It was fairly inexpensive.

Come to think of it, I need to pick up some more. It's starting to creep in again from the neighbors' yards

[nonteepical]

sprayed my creeping charlie a couple days ago and it's all brown this morning even after all the rain. go to fleet farm in the Ag dept not lawn and garden. it's "something" 400 and has alot stronger dose of 24d in it than weed be gone or ortho, that stuff's junk. 2 tablespoons per gallon? no, more like a cup

[LwnmwnMan2]

sprayed my creeping charlie a couple days ago and it's all brown this morning even after all the rain. go to fleet farm in the Ag dept not lawn and garden. it's "something" 400 and has alot stronger dose of 24d in it than weed be gone or ortho, that stuff's junk. 2 tablespoons per gallon? no, more like a cup

Please follow label directions.

If not, that's how pollution begins and the EPA is able to extend more rules and dictate what we can use that will actually work.

It would be the same if you used the new concentrates for washing clothes. Just because a 1/3 cup of detergent works, that doesn't mean if you use a full cup will make your clothes cleaner, it just means you wasted 2/3 cup of detergent.

[lindy rig]

Weed-Free-Zone works. It is made by Fertilome. You can buy it at Beisswenger's and probably some other places. About $30 and should last at least a couple years for most suburban lots.

[Powerstroke]

Please follow label directions.

If not, that's how pollution begins and the EPA is able to extend more rules and dictate what we can use that will actually work.

It would be the same if you used the new concentrates for washing clothes. Just because a 1/3 cup of detergent works, that doesn't mean if you use a full cup will make your clothes cleaner, it just means you wasted 2/3 cup of detergent.

Couldn't agree more. If you spray something at full strength or use triple the mix, you're just wasting your money.

Using the right stuff at the right time is the most important thing. Too many want to kill the creeping charlie in the middle of summer when they are in the yard, but the best time to get it is in the spring and fall.

Follow label instructions, apply at the correct time and it can be controlled.

Lime/gypsum and aeration....only thing thats good for is ph adjustment. I've never heard that for use on charlie.

[nonteepical]

Please follow label directions.

If not, that's how pollution begins and the EPA is able to extend more rules and dictate what we can use that will actually work.

It would be the same if you used the new concentrates for washing clothes. Just because a 1/3 cup of detergent works, that doesn't mean if you use a full cup will make your clothes cleaner, it just means you wasted 2/3 cup of detergent.

[island guy]

My yard is about 80% creeping charlie. I like it.

Doesn't grow very high, stays nice and green. Somewhere in history, someone decided charlie is bad and green grass is preferable. Could of gone the other way and we would be killing grasses and nurturing creeping charlie.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Yes, as a ground cover (original thoughts) it's GREAT!

It's fast growing, VERY good root system, and holds soil. Great for hills and high traffic areas.

That's the problem though, it's too good.

It'll grow in the grass, it'll grow in the flower beds, it'll grow in cracks in concrete, I eve had it growing on a light post about 2 weeks ago. Not up the side, but on the top of the concrete post where the parking lot light is bolted to the cement.

[Powerstroke]

nonteep.....Yes the commercial guys are following label directions or at least they should be. It is federal law, state law and you are licensed and are responsible as such. It may seem hard to believe, but commercial guys use what they need and no more because they have to make a profit. Doubling the mix is wasting money.

Also, since lwnmn seemed to let it slide by him, the goal of a good lawn service is to get rid of weeds. No weeds doesn't put a lawn service out of business, because once the weeds are gone you still have.....a lawn.

Also, concentrate is priced that way because the price is set by the company who sells it. They have a patent for a while until it expires and someone can offer a generic. Think of roundup. It was that expensive at one time. Now anyone can buy glyphosate. Lawn companies would like it cheaper too because they have to buy enough concentrate to mix up for 1000 gal. tanks.

Like I said before, most homeowners don't get good control on their weeds because they use the wrong product, apply at the wrong time, or both.

[Steve Foss]

No weeds doesn't put a lawn service out of business, because once the weeds are gone you still have.....a lawn.

Good one!

[LwnmwnMan2]

Andy -

I think you read it wrong. I believe that nonteep meant the "homeowner" products.

FWIW, you'll NEVER get rid of all the weeds.

There is Preen / Treflan / Snapshot and various other weed preventives to put in landscaping, not turf areas.

These products are designed to control weed germination, but throughout the summer, you'll still have weeds that pop up that need to be removed.

The same will be said for your lawn. You'll always have weed seeds brought in from lawnmowers, bird [PoorWordUsage], the wind from the neighbors, etc.

What a licensed contrator is "SUPPOSED" to do, is get the weeds to a MANAGEABLE level, and then MANAGE. It's called Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. Since you'll never control 100% of the weeds 100% of the time, you manage them to a THRESHOLD.

And yes, when I make a gallon spray bottle of broadleaf mix, I use 2 oz or 2 tablespoons.

When I use my PermaGreen ride-on sprayer, I use 1 oz per 1000 sq ft, or roughly 40 oz of chemical per acre.

Any more, and I'll burn the grass.

Jeremy

[Tom7227]

I picked up some "Weed Free Zone" yesterday and it has dicambia (sp?) in it and I think that was a recommended chemical in the past. It cost $20 for a pint bottle, which ends up being about as expensive as the "Surge" per ounce. I wonder if there's a big difference in those two products.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Tom, the Surge would have had about a 75% increase in the amount of 2-4-D / oz, as well as a 500% increase in the amount of Dicamba.

Surge Label

Weed-free-zone Label

That's one thing I wish JDL would start doing, is selling in smaller quantities.

However, at the same time, they're not really looking at dealing in the "homeowner" market, they're more commercial-based retailers.

[jentz]

sprayed my creeping charlie a couple days ago and it's all brown this morning even after all the rain. go to fleet farm in the Ag dept not lawn and garden. it's "something" 400 and has alot stronger dose of 24d in it than weed be gone or ortho, that stuff's junk. 2 tablespoons per gallon? no, more like a cup

AMINE 400

[LwnmwnMan2]

AMINE 400

Amine 400 label

The Amine 400, while a very high active ingredient, still only calls for 1 oz / 1000 sq ft, or roughly 1.1 pints per acre for Ornamental Turf