Hi everyone!
I know this is an old post but I was looking into the same plant and what to do with it in terms of permacultural practices. This is also my first post on permies.
I hope no one is offended if I say this (hard to write emotions into text) but I think the post goes away a bit from the permaculture philosophy and more towards the mechanistic lifestyle of forcing nature to do what you want it to do, or have nature be what you want it to be. The fault may lie in perception itself. What is wrong with a little creeping charlie in your yard?
Although often times maintaining strong levels of boron or other micronutrients is key to a healthy ecosystem, so are plants that grow naturally. My solution is very simple (most solutions generally are); although you may agree with it or not (permaculture is an intersubjective practice)!
We know one can't just sit back and twiddle their thumbs on a wooden rocking chair outside and whistle while nature does what it does best (If you want, you can picture paul wheaton doing this [I know I did!
]). There is no human element in this. It is strictly
nature. What we can do, however, is understand the plant (creeping charlie) and how it relates to the
human-in-nature ecosystem. Just like mint, which is also quite invasive, I just stroll outside a bit and grab a few chunks of mint or charlie and make it into tea. Great for your body, great for the ecosystem. Keeps the creeping charlie controlled. You just take a little (like what the indigeneous do here in Canada with dandelion root) and then leave enough so that it can regrow.
Anyway, those are just my thoughts. I used to look at all these "weeds" and want them out of the garden (Dutch upbringing). But now I see a bare lawn and think it's quite unnatural, pioneer plants gallore = good.
Here is a introductory resource into creeping charlie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glechoma_hederacea#Cultivation_and_medicinal_and_culinary_uses
All the best, comments are welcome
- Rob
