Treating Wild Violets

Monday July 13, 2009 - Wild violets are an extremely attractive "weed." Because wild violets are so attractive, they're seldom classified as a weed. They have a broad, heart-shaped leaf and produce deep-blue or purple flowers. Wild violets reproduce from seeds or rhizomes (underground creeping stems). They are beautiful when they're kept in the garden, but can become a problem if they escape into your turf.

Wild violets are a warm-weather weed, and you will most likely see them first appear in late spring or early summer. For small problems, the best solution is to dig the violets out. Applying herbicides will burn the tops off, but the heartiness of the underground tubers will allow for regeneration.

Large-scale invasion of wild violets is a difficult or impossible problem. Violets are not as susceptible to herbicides as most other broadleaf weeds, and in most cases, will need to be dug out. Remember, eradication is the watchword with wild violets.