Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)— schedule & NPK
Also called Creeping Charlie, Ground Ivy, Gill-over-the-Ground, Runaway Robin, Field Balm.
More about creeping charlie
About Creeping Charlie
Glechoma hederacea · also called Creeping Charlie, Ground Ivy · herb
A vigorous, aromatic Lamiaceae perennial that spreads by stolons to form a dense, kidney-leaf mat. Tolerates shade and a wide range of soils, making it effective ground cover but potentially invasive. Small lavender flowers appear in spring. Historically used as a culinary and medicinal herb; volatile oil content is mildly irritating to pets.
Growth habit: Prostrate, mat-forming perennial spreader; stems root at nodes and extend rapidly by stolons. Can grow 30–60 cm outward per season in favorable conditions.
What fertiliser creeping charlie actually wants — and why
Creeping Charlie is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for creeping charlie: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed creeping charlie, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For creeping charlie:
Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength monthly during spring and summer. Over-feeding promotes excessive, weedy spread. No feeding required in autumn or winter. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when creeping charlie is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for creeping charlie
Half strength is a sensible default for creeping charlie — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water creeping charlie first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the creeping charlie watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding creeping charlie
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for creeping charlie:
- Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour.
- Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge.
- Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants.
Signs you are under-feeding creeping charlie
- Pale, slow regrowth after cutting and small leaves.
- A tired, stalled plant that cannot keep up with harvesting.
- Yellowing older leaves in a long-spent pot.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full creeping charlie care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Pot-grown creeping charlie builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for creeping charlie
Organic options
A diluted seaweed feed or worm-casting tea keeps soft growth coming without overdoing it. UK: dilute seaweed or Westland; US: Espoma Garden-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Gentle, hard to overdo, flavour-friendly.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced liquid feed at half strength through harvesting — UK: Phostrogen, Baby Bio or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro all-purpose at half strength. Fast regrowth; just do not overdo the nitrogen.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising creeping charlie — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does creeping charlie need?
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed. Creeping Charlie is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
How often should I feed creeping charlie?
Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength monthly during spring and summer. Over-feeding promotes excessive, weedy spread. No feeding required in autumn or winter. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength monthly during spring and summer. Over-feeding promotes excessive, weedy spread. No feeding required in autumn or winter. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
What strength of feed for creeping charlie?
Half strength is a sensible default for creeping charlie — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
What does over-feeding creeping charlie look like?
Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour. Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge. Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants. Over-feeding creeping charlie with strong nitrogen is the usual mistake — it grows fast and lush but the leaves turn bland and it bolts to flower sooner, ending the useful harvest early.
Should I flush the soil of creeping charlie?
Pot-grown creeping charlie builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Keep reading
- Creeping Charlie care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water creeping charlie — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise pelargonium tomentosum
- How to fertilise pelargonium crispum
- How to fertilise pelargonium crispum 'variegatum'
- All 8452 fertilising guides in the Growli library