
Creeping Charlie is a persistent weed that can be difficult to get rid of, but there are effective ways to remove it from your yard.
Using borax to kill creeping charlie is a popular method, but it requires patience and persistence.
Borax can be applied directly to the plant, but it's essential to follow the correct dosage and application instructions to avoid harming the surrounding plants or soil.
For best results, mix 1 cup of borax with 1 gallon of water and spray it directly on the creeping charlie leaves, making sure to saturate the entire area.
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What Kills Creeping Charlie?
Creeping Charlie is a pesky weed that can be tough to get rid of, but there are natural ways to kill it. Borax is one such solution, and it's been used by gardeners for decades.
Borax is a mineral salt called sodium tetraborate, which contains Boron. It's a white, crystalline substance that's essential for plant growth, but too much of it can be toxic.
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Using Borax as a weed killer requires care, as excessive amounts can damage lawns. This is why it's essential to mix the right amount of Borax with water.
The recommended mixture is 10 oz. of Twenty Mule Team Borax and 4 oz. of warm water. This mixture is effective in killing Creeping Charlie without harming your grass.
However, it's hard to predict how much of the mixture will remain after rainfall. To avoid damaging your lawn, it's best to wait and see how it works out.
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About Creeping Charlie
Creeping Charlie is a low-growing, spreading groundcover native to Europe and Asia. It has tiny, four-petaled flowers that are usually purple, but can also be white or pink.
Creeping Charlie thrives in moist, shady areas and can form dense mats that crowd out other plants. It's often found in lawns, gardens, and woodland edges.
This invasive perennial can grow up to 18 inches tall and 2 feet wide, making it a challenge to remove. It has a deep root system that allows it to regrow from small pieces of root left behind.
Creeping Charlie spreads quickly through underground stems called rhizomes, which can be broken off and replanted to create new plants. It can also produce seeds that germinate and grow into new plants.
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Treating Creeping Charlie with Borax
Borax is a natural and effective way to kill creeping charlie. It contains boron, a micronutrient that plants need in small amounts, but can be toxic to them in excess.
To use borax as a treatment, mix 1/2 cup hot water and 1-1/4 cup borax in a small container and shake until it's dissolved completely. Then, fill a bucket with 2-1/2 gallons of water and pour in the borax solution, mixing until it's completely dissolved.
Borax works by inhibiting the growth of creeping charlie, causing it to have fibrous roots or a smaller stature. It's essential to use it correctly and with proper safety precautions to avoid damaging your lawn.
The recommended mixture for borax is 10 oz. of Twenty Mule Team Borax per 4 oz. of warm water. However, be cautious not to overapply, as this can damage your lawn.
To apply borax, fill a hose-end sprayer with the dissolved solution and sprinkle it uniformly over 1,000 square feet of garden. Repeat the process until the entire solution is used up.
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Keep in mind that borax can also damage or kill other plants if overapplied, so it's crucial to use it carefully and follow the recommended instructions.
A study by Marco Landi et al. found that excess boron in the soil causes growth impairment and alters plant metabolism, leading to progressive tissue damage in stems, leaves, and malformations.
Here's a summary of the recommended borax mixture:
- 10 oz. Twenty Mule Team Borax
- 4 oz. warm water
Note: Be cautious not to overapply borax, as this can damage your lawn.
Challenges and Alternatives
Challenges of using Borax for Creeping Charlie removal include its potential harm to animals, ants, and the environment. Borax doesn't degrade in the environment, which can lead to long-term consequences on soil or groundwater.
Using Borax requires careful consideration, as the risk of damaging desirable plants is high. Recent research has shown that determining the proper concentration for a particular region is challenging.
If you're looking for an alternative, consider the following options:
Keep in mind that herbicides can have unintended consequences, including harm to nearby plants and leaching into natural water sources.
Challenges

Ground ivy is surprisingly sensitive to boron, which can be used to kill it with a borax solution. However, this solution is not without its risks.
At higher concentrations, borax can be toxic to animals and ants, posing a potential threat to local wildlife. This is a serious consideration for gardeners and homeowners who want to control ground ivy without harming other creatures.
Using borax to kill ground ivy can also have long-term negative consequences for the environment. It doesn't break down easily in soil or water, which means it can persist and potentially cause problems for years to come.
Finding the right concentration of borax for a particular region can be tricky, and there's a risk of accidentally harming desirable plants along with the ground ivy. This makes it a challenging and unpredictable solution.
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Controlling Ground Ivy with Herbicides or Organic Chemicals
Controlling ground ivy with herbicides or organic chemicals can be an effective solution, but it's essential to consider the potential risks and choose the right method for your yard.
You can use a broadleaf herbicide containing triclopyr to target ground ivy without harming your grass. Products like Confront, Chaser, and Weed-B-Gon have proven to be successful at eliminating ground ivy.
If you have a serious infestation and have tried other methods, you can apply an herbicide containing glyphosate, such as Roundup, to your entire yard. However, this is an extreme solution that will kill everything in your yard, including your grass.
Fall is the best time to apply herbicides because plants are actively drawing in nutrients from the soil to store for the winter, making them more susceptible to the herbicide.
Before using chemical herbicides, consider their potential effects on the environment. They can cause unintended harm to nearby plants and leach into natural water sources through runoff.
For an organic solution, you can spray a Borax soap solution onto the ground ivy. Mix 20 to 30 ounces of Borax with 1 gallon of water in a garden pump sprayer and apply to the patch of ground ivy.
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Borax as a Weed Killer
Borax is a natural and effective way to kill creeping charlie, a type of weed that can be difficult to remove. It contains boron, a mineral salt that is toxic to creeping charlie but not to grass.
To make a borax solution, mix 1-1/4 cup of borax with 2-1/2 gallons of water in a bucket. This solution can be applied to 1,000 square feet of garden using a hose-end sprayer.
Excessive use of borax can damage or kill plants, so it's essential to use it correctly. A study by Marco Landi et al. found that excess boron in the soil causes growth impairment and alters plant metabolism, leading to tissue damage and plant death.
The recommended mixture for borax weed killer is 1/2 cup hot water and 1-1/4 cup borax, which should be shaken until dissolved completely. This solution can be applied to the entire area until the borax is completely dissolved.
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Here's a comparison of different borax mixture recipes:
It's essential to note that borax can damage or kill plants if not used correctly, so it's crucial to follow the recommended mixture and application instructions.
Borax is a more natural remedy than chemical herbicides, but it's still essential to exercise caution when using it. A label should be added to the spray bottle to avoid accidental use on other plants.
The borax weed killer should be used once a year for two successive years to ensure effective removal of creeping charlie.
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