wild violets

[Hoosier Gardener]

I've just moved to a new home and am in the process of adding new plants to my yard. I took a walk today and found a patch of wild violets. Can they successfully be transplanted?

[jay dee]

Yes, they can be transplanted but I would be very cautious about adding them to a flower bed. These belong in the invasive topic here on the forum. In fact, I don't know if you can kill a violet so transplant wherever you want them.

jay dee

[Hoosier Gardener]

Thanks for the reply jay dee. I wonder if putting them in an area surrounded by edging would control them. I so love the smell and color of them.

[Old earth dog]

I put them in my shade garden 15+ yrs ago. I now have them all throughout my lawn. blue ones, white ones and blue and white ones. Since I'm not a lawn freak, I kinda like them.

[Hoosier Gardener]

I'm thinking I might do the same thing. It drives the neighbors crazy because I didn't dig the dandelions out of my yard. I don't use any type of chemicals on my lawn.

[JaneG]

They'll jump barriers, walkways, etc. Once in a flower bed they take over. I spend the summer pulling handfuls out of several of my beds. The clumps can easily be pulled out, but it only get rid of them temporarily. In two weeks you'll see new little leaves. I have a love/hate relationship with them (more hate than love).

[Hoosier Gardener]

Well y'all have about talked me out of transplanting them into my yard. About that is. I'm thinking that if my entire yard becomes violets I won't have to mow.

[rosemarie]

Please, no violets!!! You will never get rid of them. Every spring I put Weed and Feed on the grass around my shade garden and every spring they are back. And I have no idea where they came from or how they got started.

[Violet_Skies]

I can think of nothing so lovely as a lawn of violets.

[LucyGoose]

I pull them out!

[KellieD]

I'm in the violet lover class. Let 'em pop up wherever they want, I say!

[Patrushka]

They used to grow in our front lawn in Chicago. I used to pick little bouquets for my mom in the spring. I love them and I was just tickled when I found them growing in the lawn here.

[caliloo]

I'm a dissenter too - I tried planting violets in my yard so I would have them all over in the spring. No such luck. I seem to get one here or there but not the kind of "invasive" I expected, and that was 9 years ago.

I do seem to have them growing in a spot at one end of a bed, maybe I'll try moving some of them into the yard to see if I have better luck!

Alexa

[janet]

I've had them at every house I've ever lived in since I was a little kid. We used to make small bouquets of them for my grandmother on May Day every year (you know, ring the bell, leave the bouquet, run away and hide). They are welcome anywhere they wish to grow at my house.

[petal*pusher]

Have to admit.....I love those little spring beauties also! I have fond memories of picking handfuls with my Mother....and of doing the same with my own children.

When my daughter was born (after 3 miscarriages and loss of my full term son).....my Mom brought over a beautiful antique pedestal dish brimming with violets....dirt and all! It was lovely! There are so many different varieties.....and all seem like little faces beaming up at you!

My daughter and I used to gather huge amounts of violet blossoms and make Violet Jelly......a most beautiful and tasty treat! Found a similiar recipe for you.....I added one or two drops of blue food coloring to get a deep purple shade......p

VIOLET JELLY

2 c. violet blossoms (no stems)
1 lemon
1 pkg. powdered pectin
4 c. sugar

Snap off heads of violets; discard stems. Place blossoms in shallow bowl for 1/2 hour (insects will leave).
Rinse blossoms in cold water. Put blossoms in quart jar and cover with boiling water. (my recipe said to use distilled water) Put on lid and let infuse for 24 hours. Next day, it will look awful, like bits of lettuce floating in blue dye (but never fear). Strain out blossoms. To 2 cups of the infusion, add the juice of 1 lemon and 1 package pectin. Watch the color come back! Bring to a boil; add 4 cups of sugar and bring to a hard boil again for 1 minute. Pour into glasses and seal.

Mmmmmmmmm!!

[Hoosier Gardener]

Today I transplanted about two square feet of violets into my yard. I love them and think they'll add to the beauty of my yard. I do understand people who don't like them. r

[KellieD]

Its always easier to work with them instead of against them!

[Gardendollee]

Whoa Nelly! Those violets can be invaisive! The reason why they alwasys come back is because 2-4-D won't kill the seeds and they spread far because the seed pod opens and they are shot out just like a cannon. I try to dig out they few I have, however I also have sentimental reasons for keeping just a few. We used to call the sweet violets.

[impatience]

In my yard I've been trying to get rid of them for 15 years!! They even fight for space with the Bishop's Weed!!! (and often win) Now that is what I would call invasive. I yank them out before they bloom, and still they are back every year. Put me in the "don't do it" category.

[thy]

I have tried to grow them for 8 years here, only a few small ones every year, exept this year I have them everywhere, think it is the improvement of my heavy clay soil with compost in theyears that make the differnce, in good soil they grow, in bad they just stay
Pia