Creeping bellflower control - Ask Extension
Creeping bellflower has infested my backyard. I am okay with killing grass if needed in the areas where the creeping bellflower exists. I read in this...
Knowledgebase
Creeping bellflower control #870678
Asked May 29, 2024, 10:34 PM EDT
Creeping bellflower has infested my backyard. I am okay with killing grass if needed in the areas where the creeping bellflower exists. I read in this article https://www.montana.edu/extension/broadwater/blog-article.html?id=23510 that Roundup is effective. I also read the U of m extension article about it and it mentioned clopyralid. Is that a broadleaf herbicide and is it safe to use? I saw that it was banned in several states. I had been digging up parts of the yard where the creeping bellflower exists but then I read that that method can actually spread it because it can spread from just root fragments. Do you have any other suggestions?
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
It's possible to eradicate creeping bellflower by digging, but it's impractical to do this if the infestation is extensive. To be effective digging must be several inches deep and, as you have read, the dug soil must be carefully screened to remove every root fragment.
Although Clopyralid may be effective, it's not readily available for use by home gardeners, and care must be taken to keep it from contaminating compost.
In most cases Roundup is the herbicide of choice for bellflower control, but several applications may be needed to do the job.
The following article may be of interest:
https://northerngardener.org/creeping-bellflower/
Although Clopyralid may be effective, it's not readily available for use by home gardeners, and care must be taken to keep it from contaminating compost.
In most cases Roundup is the herbicide of choice for bellflower control, but several applications may be needed to do the job.
The following article may be of interest:
https://northerngardener.org/creeping-bellflower/
