How to Get Rid of Periwinkle

Periwinkle is also called vinca.

Periwinkle is the common name for the Vinca minor plant, which is a low-growing ground cover reaching only 6 inches high when fully grown. The plant produces dark green leaves and tiny purple or pink colored flowers in the spring. While many gardeners grow periwinkle intentionally, it spreads rapidly and can invade other areas of the landscape. Getting rid of an existing patch of periwinkle requires persistence and the application of herbicide.

Things You'll Need

• Lawn mower or string trimmer
• Rake
• Garden hose
• Garden sprayer
• Herbicide with clethodim, fluazifop-p-butyl or sethoxydim
• Dish soap

Instructions

1. Wait until the daytime temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the plants since this is when they are actively growing. Although you can treat the plants when temperatures are outside this range, the treatments are less effective and require longer periods to work.

2. Cut the periwinkle stems back to approximately 2 to 3 inches high using either a string trimmer or by pushing a lawn mower over the planting site. Rake up the cut stems and throw them away to prevent them from sprouting roots and creating new plants.

3. Water the soil under the periwinkle plants to a 2-inch depth using a garden hose. Repeat the watering as needed for the next week to keep the soil moist. You want to encourage new growth so the plant absorbs the herbicide better when you apply it.

4. Open a container of herbicide with clethodim, fluazifop-p-butyl or sethoxydim and read the instructions to determine the proper dosage amount for your size of periwinkle patch. Add the herbicide to herbicide spray tank and then add 1 tsp. of dish soap. Follow the bottle instructions for diluting the mixture with water, if instructed to do so.

5. Close and shake the sprayer and then spray the mixture onto all leaves, flowers and stems of the periwinkle until they are wet.

6. Wait one week and re-examine the periwinkle plants. If any green color remains, apply a second treatment of herbicide to kill off the plants.

References

• New York State Horticulture Study Guide for Youth; Periwinkle, Myrtle; December 2010
• The Ohio State University Extension: Controlling Weeds in Nursery and Landscape Plantings
• Parker County Master Gardener Association; Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ); November 2009