How to Control and Remove Stubborn Wild Violet Weeds from Your Lawn

If you have wild violets in your Northeast Ohio lawn, you’re likely getting more and more frustrated each year as you notice them slowly taking over your once-perfect grass. 

These weeds sure are persistent. And if you think you’re trying everything humanly possible to get rid of them, and you feel like you’re failing, you’re not alone. In fact, wild violets are probably one of the worst weeds to control. What’s more is that traditional weed control methods don’t work on wild violets. 

Let’s discuss this pesky weed more in detail and talk about ways you can combat it in your Northeast Ohio lawn. 

An Up-Close Look at Wild Violets in Northeast Ohio Lawns

As broadleaf perennials, wild violets may be the prettiest weeds out there with their purple flowers, but they counter that trait by being super annoying once they invade your lawn. 

And once they root in your grass, they tend to crowd out good grass to make room for more of themselves. Not cool.

How to kill wild violets means understanding the weed you’re fighting and then using proper strategies to eliminate it. 

What Do Wild Violets Look Like In Your Lawn?

 Known for its pretty purple flowers, but hated for its ease of growing in lawn areas and taking over turfgrass, wild violets in your lawn are perennial weeds with extensive root systems. 

These weeds grow under 2 inches in height so they stay tucked into your lawn. But their heart-shaped, scalloped leaves that range from ½-inch to 1½ inch stand out. Then they bloom with ¾- to 1-inch purplish-blue flowers, which make them pop out from the lawn even more, becoming big eyesores. 

Where Can You Find Wild Violets in Northeast Ohio Lawns?

Wild violets will usually crop up in damp, shaded areas on your lawn. 

But once they persist and spread, they can tolerate full sun conditions as well, making them pretty tough to control.

What Makes Wild Violets So Challenging to Control?

Wild violets spread by creeping stems that root in the soil throughout your lawn. 

This also makes their roots difficult to get entirely if you were trying to pull them up by hand. If you try to grab them, the plants usually snap off of the roots, which actually encourages regrowth. This makes weeding by hand work against your efforts. 

How to Get Rid of Lawn Violets 

Since wild violets are a prevalent problem in Northeast Ohio lawns, it can be tough to kill them. In fact, most common herbicides don’t effectively control these weeds. 

Battling wild violets requires a specialty herbicide. But timing is crucial to maximize control. Early spring or late fall control is best. If you try to tackle wild violets, you must avoid trying to do so in the heat of the growing season, since these weeds are tougher to control when they are flowering. The goal is to maximize herbicide use so it will be most effective. You don’t want to  waste products and make it harder for that weed to respond when it can actually work to your advantage. 

What kills wild violets but not grass? For this weed, you want to make sure you’re working with a local lawn care professional who is up-to-date on new products for wild violet control. An informed expert who understands weeds and what new products are available for their control will do a better job eliminating your toughest weeds than someone who doesn’t know these weeds. 

A Healthy Lawn Can Also Help You With Wild Violet Control 

In addition to proper wild violet management with specialty herbicides, you want to make sure your lawn is in the best position to fight all kinds of weeds, including wild violets.

Start by watering properly. Irrigate your lawn with 1 to 2 inches of water weekly. Early morning watering is typically best. 

Since thicker lawns yield fewer weeds, you want to fertilize regularly, as well as aerate and oversed in the fall. 

Mowing at a 3- to 4-inch height encourages a healthy lawn and keeps your lawn thick enough to reduce weed growth. 

Trust Turf Pride on How to Get Rid of Lawn Violets in Your Northeast Ohio Grass 

Weeds are the worst. And tough-to-control weeds like wild violets are such a nuisance. You know it. We get it. 

But if you’re seeing scraggly pieces that don’t look right or random flowers popping up where they shouldn’t belong, you might have wild violets. 

Proper lawn care and working with a lawn care service professional who knows how to handle difficult-to-control weeds can make a big transformation in your Northeast Ohio lawn. 

Not sure if the weeds you're seeing are wild violets or what you can do to stop them from spreading? Call Turf Pride. We tackle weeds all the time, and weeds like wild violets don’t scare us at all. We regularly test new selective herbicides to ensure we find ways to tackle your worst weeds and ensure your lawn looks amazing. 

Are wild violets slowly taking over your lawn? We’d love to help. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll prepare a customized plan for your Northeast Ohio lawn so you can make an educated decision and get rid of weeds for good.