# When to go after wild violet



## drfeno (Oct 2, 2018)

Hello,

I live in northern CT, and I'd like to try to control the wild violet in the lawn. I have some crossbow herbicide. I tried applying it in the summer, and it certainly made the weeds sick, but didn't really kill them. I'm told the best time to go after them is the fall when they are moving nutrients to the roots for winter. When would be the best time to apply the crossbow? Have I missed a window already?

My plan is to try and kill the wild violet with the crossbow this fall, and apply prodiamine in the spring to prevent other stuff from coming up. Is wild violet perennial, or does it die each year like crabgrass?

Thanks, Dave


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

You can use an herbicide on wild violets anytime they are actively growing. You didn't mention this but you also need to use a surfactant mixed into the crossbow to help it stick to the waxy leaves.

Wild violets will take multiple apps 10 to 14 days apart. They also grow from tubers so you will battle them for several years so be vigilant and hit them anytime you see a new one pop up. Once you have them under control with the crossbow I've found the best method is to use a small craft paintbrush and brush a little straight glypho on the leaves of the violets. Doesn't take much and they will die quickly.

Prodiamine will only prevent them from germinating from seed. If there are any of the root systems left behind it won't stop those.


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## tgreen (Oct 20, 2018)

drfeno said:


> Hello,
> 
> I live in northern CT, and I'd like to try to control the wild violet in the lawn. I have some crossbow herbicide. I tried applying it in the summer, and it certainly made the weeds sick, but didn't really kill them. I'm told the best time to go after them is the fall when they are moving nutrients to the roots for winter. When would be the best time to apply the crossbow? Have I missed a window already?
> 
> ...


Do it now. I had same experience as you many years ago. Fall is the best time to hit this plant in my experience. It's a perennial.


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

Fall is the best time which is now. The heat wave has passed which is great. Try fertilizing a few days before, that gives the plant more incentive to grow and then go for the kill.

I'm in central CT and having the same fight with wild violet and creeping charlie.


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## Dkrem (Mar 16, 2019)

I've wiped out wild violet in the spring, midsummer when days were 90+ and dry (I sprayed right at dusk when temps fell off) and in the fall. To me it all worked just as well, they died. The hot summer application stressed the grass a bit with some temporary browning, but it bounced back just fine. Triclopyr with MSO as surfactant/penetrant for the waxy leaves is all I use, works fantastically. in the last 5 years I've wiped violet from several acres that were about 25% saturated with it.

EDIT: The violet is a perennial, it will keep spreading every year if you leave it alone.


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## drfeno (Oct 2, 2018)

Thanks everyone,

I'll probably spray this Sunday, and maybe again in 2 weeks as one responder pointed out. the wild violet does seem to be spreading. The prodiamine in the spring will be done mostly to prevent crabgrass.

Thanks, Dave


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## SuperTroye (Jun 17, 2020)

I know this is an old thread, but will coating the leaves with glyphosate kill the root or just the leaves? I'm battling this weed in my backyard and I've dumped a toxic wasteload of Speedzone, Triclopyr and Ortho Weed B Gon all summer long. It kills the leaves but new ones pop right back up a week later. I'm considering getting the Green Shoots small foaming dispenser and dabbing the leaves with glyphosate. I'm hoping this will kill the root or am I just still chasing my tail?


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## double_e5 (May 3, 2020)

They are just a tough bugger to control if you have them bad. You just need to stay on top of them with triclopyr or glyphosate. I've been at the same property for 5 years and they were terrible when I bought the place. I renovated the first fall and It took me 2.5 years to really get them under control. Even now I still get the occasional one that pops up.


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

SuperTroye said:


> I know this is an old thread, but will coating the leaves with glyphosate kill the root or just the leaves? I'm battling this weed in my backyard and I've dumped a toxic wasteload of Speedzone, Triclopyr and Ortho Weed B Gon all summer long. It kills the leaves but new ones pop right back up a week later. I'm considering getting the Green Shoots small foaming dispenser and dabbing the leaves with glyphosate. I'm hoping this will kill the root or am I just still chasing my tail?


Concept remains the same. Glyphosate like triclopyr will kill the roots as well but it needs to get into the plant roots. This was pointed out to me by a few people that fall is good because the plant is actively storing in the roots. So a lot of stuff gets translated there. Therefore the best time is to do it in the fall.

I did spray it in the spring and everything seemingly disappeared and then reappeared back this summer. It's crazy. I will be spraying again this fall though that affects overseeding time if you are thinking of that.


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