Question
My neighbor recommends Ferti-loam and their lawn is great. But we live on a lake.  I was reading about the risk and decided not so good. Then I see where organic advocates are recommending sugar (I am guessing granulated grocery store type), dry molasses and corn gluten to supplement the lawn to discourage weeds and eliminate them and to encourage healthy lawn growth.  I can't find anything that talks about this for Minnesota and timing - fall, spring, etc.  Does this work and, if so, do I do them all at the same time?  Or is there somewhere that tells me exactly what to do and when?

Answer
The Sugar Treatment is a Myth with no validity, unfortunately.  Trust me, we would all be using Sugar if it was good for our Grass.

Dry Molasses on the other hand is a complex carbohydrate or some such other complicated natural Sugar chain with special properties.  It will boost microbe populations, but it won't attack Weeds.  Corn Meal Gluten has its detractors, but it also has fans; it requires a bit of luck to get it down at the right time of year.  Even the best of luck however will not get it to work on your Creeping Charlie; CMG affects germinating SEEDS, not PLANTS.

Creeping Charlie does have a successful Boron treatment that as I recall was something a Minnesota lab dreamed up and tested before publishing the results.  Boron however would be a potential problem next to your Lake.

Start with physical removal of as much of this stuff as possible.   A Thatch Rake will amass a surprisingly large quantity, thanks to the intertwining, connecting stolons.

I stumbled recently on the abstract of a study done in 1987 and published in a French scientific journal.  It concluded that Ground Ivy grows more sparsely in Perennial Rye Lawns that are thick and mowed Tall.  But the same Ground Ivy also expands its reach, as if to escape the Grass-packed area.

With a possible signature of our new President on the limbo'd Kyoto Treaty, it is fine of you to be concerned about the effects of your Lawn Care practices on the lake.  We must take care of our earth.  And now we have an Administration that will.  Fortunately, research has continued despite the temporary setbacks of the outgoing regime, and we are learning more every day about these Weeds and Grasses.  They'll think of something better.  Thanks for writing,

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER