I am trying to prepare an area to lay grass seed.

Annie
by Annie

I’ve hand weeded the area but have “creeping Charlie” in there which is really difficult. I’ve used Roundup which weakened it but didn’t kill it. Any herbicide that will kill it is stronger and will remain in the soil. Must I get rid of every one of these things before I proceed.

  7 answers
  • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Jun 29, 2018

    Have you tilled it yet? It needs to be amended with about 2" compost and tilled to several inches deep. Then rake it level with a landscape rake. By that point, your creeping Charly will be gone or you can just pick up the root clumps off the surface.

  • Annie Annie on Jun 29, 2018

    Thanks. I was afraid to till it until I got all these suckers out. They run underground and the roots in some cases exceed 12 inches. We are blessed with very good soil, light and loamy. I think other than adding some fresh topsoil and loosening it up it should be all we need. I HOPE! This had been a real backbreaker. Do you agree with that scenario?

    • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Jun 30, 2018

      The tiller will chop up the leftover weeds. I've got more clay here and if anyone tries a lawn without amending and tilling it never grows roots. My thinking is that tilling will draw the weed roots out of the soil so you can pick them out easier. As for amending or not? Well.... Sounds like you have much better soil so maybe compost isn't necessary? But I would still till it.

  • Annie Annie on Jun 30, 2018

    Thanks so much

  • Rockyroad Rockyroad on Jun 30, 2018

    Guess my opinion is different than others , but sometimes tilling just turns weeds into the soil and they'll re-grow especially if roots are as deep as you mentioned . Weeds need to be killed first ! I don't use Round-up very often any more , it's a bit ruthless , but a couple of applications should kill most anything .

  • Nancy Jenkins Nancy Jenkins on Jun 30, 2018

    Vinegar, epsom salts and water in spray . Don't have how much of each but experiment. Spray this in morning and come back check evening if you did right measures weeds you sprayed should be dead.

  • Annie Annie on Jun 30, 2018

    Thank you! This weed is a beast!

  • Ann Ann on Jul 01, 2018

    I use table salt kills all weeds, try it sprinkle loads around, good luck :)