Other Names: Creeping Charlie

Botanical Identification: Glechoma hederacea

Type: Weed, a part of the mint family

Appearance: Scalloped leaves, blue flowers, and distinct odor when crushed.

Risk: Damp, shady areas, though it can survive in full sun.

Timing: It is one of the first plants to flower in the spring, blooming from March to July.

Concerns: Ground ivy is very toxic for horses, whether dried or fresh. Take extra precautions to make sure horses don’t graze in pastures with this weed. Even though it tastes bad to them, it might get mixed up with hay or they might eat it if there is not enough access to other fresh food. Also be mindful of where you make hay, as it can be picked up and mixed in with your bale.

How to Control Ground Ivy

Prevention

Like other weeds, you can prevent ground ivy by maintaining a healthy turf because the weed won’t have any space to thrive. You can keep your yard in tip-top fighting shape with these tips:

• Water Well: Your grass needs adequate water to thrive. It prefers long soakings about two to three times weekly instead of daily watering, depending on the rain levels from the week.
• Reseed patchy spots: Grass roots go deep into the ground and take up a lot of space, taking away the valuable real estate weeds need to thrive.
• Aerate Your Soil: Soil compaction keeps air and water from reaching the deeper levels of soil where grass roots grow, so only plants that grow nearer to the surface, like weeds, can thrive.
• Check Your Lawn’s pH Level: If your soil’s pH level isn’t neutral (about 7.0), your grass doesn’t have the right environment to thrive, but weeds might. To balance the pH level, your soil may also need applications of lime.

Treatment

If ground ivy enters your lawn, you can pull it by hand or use a special weeding tool. We recommend using herbicides as a last resort.

Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape knows just what your lawn needs. We used science-based practices to ensure your yard is as healthy as can be and can fend off ground ivy troubles. Our lawn care packages offer all-around care for your yard. Call us today at 765-771-9998 for a free quote and more information.

Need Help with Ground Ivy?

Call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape today at 765-771-9998 and let's talk about how we can help you with Ground Ivy and other Indiana lawn weeds.

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