Question
How do you get rid of wild strawberries that have taken over portions of your lawn, It is moving to our neighbors yard so I am concerned about it spreading much further.
Thanks for any help you may be able to suggest.
Thanks
Sal

Answer
HGTV.com lists this evergreen perennial Weed, which also goes by the name 'Barren', 'Indian' or 'Mock' Strawberry, in host Paul James's 'Dirty Half-Dozen' Weeds list of plants in America that show up where they're not wanted.

After Kudzu, Bindweed, Wild Grapevine and Virginia Creeper lies Wild Strawberry ('Potentilla indica' to botanists).  HGTV says this is 'a persistent groundcover ... difficult to contain with herbicides because the plants intertwine so closely with Grass -- if you kill the Strawberries you'll kill your Lawn too!'

Their solution: 'Pull them up by hand.'

Frankly, this is quite impossible.  You can't pull these fast enough.  Something else is needed.

As I understand it, puts down a ferocious root system that spreads like wildfire when it's growing in ACIDIC Soil.  Test your Soil pH and see what you get.  My guess is, your Soil is at least 5.5, or lower -- and that's just plain bad for the Lawn anyway.  If it is, raise the pH.

I have also heard that they thrive in Shade, but need moisture.  Your Lawn is probably not a Shade-lover; your groundcovering Strawberry Weed IS a Shade-lover.  Take a good, hard, honest look at those spots where the Weed is thriving.  If it is in fact Shady, it's time to draw up Plan B: Plant something else -- one of the groundcovers you find on the Bluestone Perennials website:

www.bluestoneperennials.com

Some authorities insist that this is a plant that cannot take dry conditions.  If you have an automatic sprinkler system, it's time to turn it off and do that by hand -- without watering the Weeds.

No Turfgrass will compete with Strawberry Weed and win a contest in the Shade.  In the Sun, it's a different story.  And much depends on what Grass you have been trying to grow; there are ways to manage some Grass that will practically eject Weeds from the Lawn.  If you would like to reveal that detail we can discuss this further.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER