Two applications are usually necessary. The second application should be 10 to 14 days after the first. As always, when using pesticides, read and follow label directions carefully. Once the ground ivy has been effectively controlled and an healthy lawn reestablished, the home gardener needs to use good mowing, fertilization, watering, and cultivation practices to maintain a dense, healthy, competitive stand of turfgrass which should help discourage future invasions of this aggressive weed. Borax contains the element boron.
All plants require small amounts of boron for growth.
However, boron becomes toxic when large quantities are present in the soil. Sensitivity to boron varies greatly between plant species. If properly applied, borax can be used to control ground ivy in turfgrass because the ground ivy is more sensitive to boron than the cool- season turfgrasses. A widely sold borax product is Twenty Mule Team Borax. Five teaspoons of borax dissolved in 1 quart of water and then applied uniformly to 25 square feet will destroy the ground ivy while causing minimal damage to the turfgrass.