How Do You Kill Violets In Your Lawn

How To Identify Wild Violets

Wild violets like shady spots that have fertile soil and our commonly found in irrigated lawns. Their leaves tend to look cupped toward the flower. Because the leaves are waxy and cupped the wild violet is able to withstand herbicide by letting the herbicide just roll down and drop off the leaf. Wild violets have Blue/purplish flowers which show up in May. Wild Violets are comparable to Creeping Charlie because they are both weeds that are difficult to kill, and they both have underground root systems that makes it easy for these weeds to take over a lawn.

How To Kill Common Violet Weeds In A Lawn

• Can I Use Atrazine on Agapanthus?

Love them or hate them, the common lawn violet is a sturdy perennial that puts forth its pretty, violet-colored flowers every spring. This perennial wildflower is found in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. Violets are stubborn and hard to eliminate. If you can’t live with them, start eradicating them in fall. Plan on continuing your efforts the following season and perhaps even longer.

1

Spray the heart-shaped leaves until they drip with a ready-to-use spray bottle containing 2,4-D or dicamba. These are broadleaf weed killers that won’t harm lawn grass when used properly. The chemical best translocates to the fleshy roots when applied in fall.

2

Spot treat violets that survive to spring with ready-to-use glyphosate applied with a spray bottle. Avoid getting much of the liquid on the grass and on other plants. The broad-spectrum herbicide damages or kills any plants it contacts.

3

Re-appy the glyphosate later in spring if the violets rally.

4

Repeat the fall and spring treatments until the violets give up the ghost and appear no more. It could take a few years to completely eradicate a patch of violets.

5

Dig out isolated violets by hand when they first appear in the yard. You can use your fingers for the smallest clumps, but you’ll need to dig up bigger clumps with a trowel or hand-held garden fork. It’s important to dig up all the fleshy root parts, or the violet could re-emerge.

References

Writer Bio

Factor Number One: Violets Have Two Kinds Of Flowers:

• The delicate purple ones that kids pluck and play around with, and
• The hidden unopened flower buds that reside underneath the leaves which shield from any harm.

The visible purple flowers are usually infertile, while the ones hiding under the leaves are highly fertile, and they can also self-pollinate and fertilize themselves Just imagine they dont have to flower to reproduce this is so weird! Right?

Don’t Miss: How To Fix Dead Patches In Lawn

The Easiest Way To Get Rid Of Wild Violets Naturally

Wild violets can be removed by hand pulling or hand weeding, but because they have long, thin roots that spread in various directions, they can be difficult to remove all at once. These weeds also grow persistently through the months, so you might find yourself having to do multiple weedings through the spring and summer months when they are growing the fastest.

If you find the violets growing faster than you are able to remove them, it might be time to apply another solution: making your own herbicide to kill the wild violets. Here are the steps to going about the easiest ways to get rid of wild violets naturally:

Managing Creeping Charlie And Violets

Ground ivy often creates a thick mat of vegetation in shade lawn areas.

Lawns in shade areas are rarely very vigorous or dense and thus may be prone to weed invasion. Two of the more common broadleaf weeds invading shady lawns are ground ivy and violets. Both are difficult to control.

Ground ivy , also called creeping Charlie, is a common lawn weed problem. Shady lawns with poorly drained fertile soil are typical sites for ground ivy to develop into a major problem. This plant may form extensive patches as it creeps along the soil and moves into sunny areas. The stems are square and the leaves are arranged opposite of each other along stems. The leaves are round to somewhat kidney shaped with rounded, toothed margins. Crushed leaves have a minty odor. Ground ivy has small funnel-shaped purplish-blue flowers appearing from April to June.

Ground ivy will produce new plants at the nodes of trailing stems.

Violets include several cool-season annuals and perennials that are low-growing plants. These species are very shade tolerant and prefer lawns located on moist, fertile soils. Violets tend to be most visible during cool weather of spring and fall. Leaves of the common violet are oval to kidney-shaped with a heart-shaped base. Flowers may be white, blue, purple, or yellow. All violets reproduce by seed, and perennial violets also spread by creeping roots and rhizomes.

To keep ground ivy and violets from invading lawns, maintain a thick lawn by proper lawn care practices.

Read Also: How Much To Pay Teenager To Mow Lawn

How To Kill Wild Violets And Discourage Them From Coming Back

• Kill wild violets and other pesky lawn weeds with fast-acting Ortho® WeedClear Lawn Weed Killer Ready-to-Use. It’s rainproof in just an hour and won’t harm the surrounding lawn, plus the Comfort Wand makes it extra comfortable to use.
• To kill a widespread infestation of wild violet, go with Ortho® Weedclear Lawn Weed Killer Ready-To-Spray. A single bottle treats up to 5,000 square feet and the convenient hose attachment makes application as easy as watering your lawn.

• Regular feedings for your lawn provide the nutrients your grass needs to grow thick and strong and help crowd out weeds like wild violet.
• Mowing at a height best for your lawn allows the grass to grow thick and develop a deep root system. Grass clippings recycle plant nutrients back into the soil, so leave them where they fall if you use a mulching mower.
• Your lawn will begin to wilt when water is needed. As much as possible, take advantage of nature’s sprinkler and rely on the rain to water your lawn. If you do use sprinklers, set them to water your lawn deeply and infrequently. Most lawns only need an inch of water per week.

How To Control Wild Violets In Kentucky Lawns

Theres an old saying that goes where theres one mouse, theres more. Unfortunately, the same could be said of wild violets in lawns. If youve spotted one violet, chances are theres an underground root system spreading like wildfire. While it technically isnt an invasive species, because its native to North America, it is incredibly invasive when it comes to lawns. They take root quickly and are difficult to eradicate but not impossible. Today, well discuss this perturbing plant and what you can do about it.

Don’t Miss: Kill Violets In Lawn

A Closer Look At Ground Ivy Weeds

Like violets, ground ivy, which is also sometimes referred to as creeping Charlie, is incredibly aggressive. It grows in thick mats in areas of your lawn and can quickly become a major problem. Ground ivy can form extensive patches as it creeps across your lawn, crowding out desired turfgrass in the process. As it creeps along the soil surface it will form roots where its leaves join its stems.

Using Herbicides Chemicals To Kill Violets In Lawn

If larger parts of your lawn have been affected, you can kill the flowers systematically using broadleaf herbicides like Trimecor or Triclopyr. Triclopyr is mostly used by landscaping professionals, while Trimec is readily available at your local stores.

These herbicides will do the trick, but if the lawn is beyond saving, you can always kill the whole lawn and start afresh.

Don’t Miss: Does Lowes Rent Riding Lawn Mowers

Killing Violets In The Lawn

Getting rid of violets is no easy task. Hand-pulling violets wont get you very far due to their strong roots. Its very difficult to pull a violet without leaving at least some of the root in the ground, meaning its going to grow right back. Granular products dont work well on violets, either. Thats because not enough of the product will coat the leaves. Even if youre lucky enough to get a few flakes on the leaves, its not going to be effective enough to work.The key to killing violets in the lawn is a professional-grade broadleaf liquid herbicide that will stick to the leaves and ultimately knock wild violets back. This must be coupled with a long-term strategy, including spraying multiple times a year, particularly in the fall when certain products are able to be used in cooler temperatures.

In addition to spot treating the violets repeatedly from spring through fall, youll also want to focus on a lawn care program that encourages a healthy and thick lawn. Because violets thrive in sparse lawns, the thicker your lawn is, the more likely it will choke out these pesky weeds.

Thickening your lawn can be achieved with a program that incorporates regular fertilization, looks at improving the soil with necessary pH corrections, and includes aeration and overseeding every fall.

How To Rid Lawn Of Violets Without Chemicals

Our neighbor has bees, so we have to be careful what we use in our lawn. We have an overabundance of violets this year. We have 2 acres that we mow and treat.

Does anyone know of a safe way to rid ouf lawn from the invasive violets without killing the bees?

Read Also: Who Makes Greenworks Lawn Mowers

How To Get Rid Of Violets And Creeping Charlie In The Lawn

Allyn HaneNews

Whats up yall – welcome to the very middle of October. Im on the road to the GIE Expo this week but wanted to take some time and drop some tips on you. For you cool season folks Im seeing more and more reports of wild violet and creeping charlie.Especially if you have gotten through your aeration and overseeding and are back to mowing regularly all that watering and fertilizing you have been doing has also encouraged these weeds and now its time to get on top of them.

The good news is: the very best time to get after these two common viney weeds is the fall time when outside air temps are above 55F during the day .The warmer the better, but as long as temps during the day are getting up over 55F for most of the day, you can get on these guys and stunt them pretty well.And that is the first tip: Patience. These two invaders have lots of underground support structures that make them harder to kill. Multiple applications will be needed and now is as good of a time as any to get started.

Controlling Violets In Lawns

The most effective way to control violets in lawns is chemicals. Pulling violets out of turf is almost useless and certainly, you cant mulch a lawn. Most lawns that use a lawn service dont have violets. Thats because lawn services apply a broad-leaf weed killer at the optimum time in summer. This appropriately named weed killer destroys the broad-leafed plants such as violets and leaves the thin-leafed plantslike your grass. If you dont use a lawn service, go your local garden center and check out the various chemicals that you can spread on your lawn that tout themselves as broad-leafed herbicides. Otherwise, simply look for something made for lawns that specifies controlling violets. Follow package directions exactly, especially on the time of year to apply the weed killer. Timing is everything. One note: Violets do best in light shade. Grass does not do well in light shade. Wherever grass struggles, weeds fill in. So your violet problem in your lawn may be because youre growing grass in a place it really shouldnt be growing. Consider trimming up trees, cutting out overgrown shrubs, etc. to allow more light in to the lawn. Or give up on the grass altogether and plant groundcovers, hostas, and other shade-loving perennials.

Recommended Reading: Smallest Riding Lawnmower

Consider Different Turfgrass Blends

Turfgrass mix is almost always blended because the diversity makes your lawn more resistant to disease, drought, and infestations. However, if your lawn is especially prone to wild violets, you may want to ask your lawn care professional about adding more fescue to the mix. Compared to other common grass blends, like Kentucky bluegrass, fescues are better at withstanding violet infestations.

What Are Wild Violets And How Do I Control Them

While wild violets may sound like delightful plants and their deep purple blooms are pretty theyre actually an aggressive weed that will happily invade your lawn if left unchecked. Typically found in northern regions of the U.S., wild violets flower in the spring and prefer the damp, shady parts of your yard. Whats more, these are perennial weeds, meaning they will come back to haunt you year after year. But dont despair. Weve got wild violet control tips that can help you conquer this invader.

You May Like: How Much Peat Moss For Lawn

What Do Wild Violets Look Like

Although wild violets can be a nuisance, they are at least a pretty one! So, what do wild violets look like? This weed is low-growing and features broad leaves that can grow in both sunny and shady areas – making it a very invasive weed in your lawn.

Featuring flowers that can bloom in violet shades, as well as white, blue, purple, or yellow, these weeds often look quite delicate, but donât let them fool you. Wild violets can create thick mats of leaves that grow rapidly and aggressively. Okay, but why is this so bad? These mats of leaves can actually block the rest of your lawn from getting the nutrients it needs, meaning the weeds will thrive while grass and other flowers struggle.

With a waxy leaf covering, extensive root systems, and their ability to grow and spread rapidly, finding what kills wild violets successfully can be a hard-earned battle.

Hire The Help Of Professional Lawn Care Services

This is the best solution for removing and keeping violets from your lawn. A lawn care technician is well-trained to identify and treat all kinds of broadleaf weeds, including violets. Plus, theyll handle all the regular lawn maintenance so you can enjoy a weed-free healthy lawn and more free time!

Read Also: How To Estimate Lawn Mowing Jobs

A Closer Look At Violets In The Lawn

These low-growing broadleaf weeds are highly shade-tolerant but will also grow in sunny areas. The flowers on violet can be white, blue, purple, or yellow. They may look small and delicate, but wild violet is quite aggressive and can produce thick mats of leaves that end up depriving the rest of your lawn of nutrients. Unfortunately, violets are difficult to control because of their extensive root systems, their waxy leaf covering, and their fast-growing tendencies.

What Is Horticultural Vinegar

Horticultural vinegar contains a higher amount of acetic acid than the vinegar typically sold in grocery stores. It generally has a 20-percent acetic acid rate, which is high enough to kill plants. Some brands of horticultural vinegar contain a soapy carbohydrate, which acts as a surfactant reducing surface tension and allowing the homemade weed killer using it to stick better to the wild violets. However, each brand of horticultural vinegar varies and you should always follow the instructions listed on its label to prevent damage to desirable plants and increase its effectiveness.

Read Also: How Much Peat Moss For Lawn

Apply Roundup For Lawns

Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few tries to control wild violets. After all, they spread through underground stems as well as by seed, and their waxy leaves can be hard to penetrate. The best time to treat wild violets with Roundup® For Lawns is in the fall, when it will be fast-tracked into the root system as the plants prepare for winter. To kill the occasional pop-up plant, a ready-to-use product is a fine choice. If your wild violet problem is more widespread, though, youll want to turn to a ready-to-spray or concentrate product.

How To Kill Wild Violets With Herbicide

The best approach to killing wild violets with herbicide is to spot treat individual weeds rather than spraying weed killer over the entire area. This will minimize the chemicals being introduced into the environment. A garden sprayer with a wand nozzle will let you target the leaves of individual weeds with almost no drift of chemical mist.

Don’t Miss: How To Get Rid Of Ryegrass In My Lawn

Homemade Wild Violet Weed Killer

Creating a homemade weed killer to control wild violets requires mixing horticulture vinegar with water. You can use a ratio of 80 percent water and 20 percent vinegar. This homemade wild violet weed herbicide has an 80-percent control rate over most broadleaf weeds when sprayed on the offending plants foliage. If the horticultural vinegar doesnt contain a surfactant, add 1 teaspoon of a non ionic surfactant or dishwashing liquid for every gallon of water used.

Use caution when working with horticultural vinegar. It is much stronger than your kitchen vinegar it can cause severe damage to your eyes and skin. Make sure to wear protective clothing when working with horticultural vinegar. Safety glasses, rubber gloves, pants and a long-sleeve shirt will help prevent eye and skin exposure to the vinegar.