Sweet violet – is it a weed or is it wonderful? Ask Extension expert

Spring this year has been off-and-on, then off again.  Even so, you may have a have a gardening question. Simply go to the OSU Extension website, type it in and include the county where you live. A photo is very helpful.

Q: I planted sweet violet in my flower beds, and it likes its location. It likes its location so well it has left the flower beds and is aggressively taking over the lawn. I put fertilizer on the lawn last year with weed control, but it didn’t slow the sweet violet down. It was up and blooming as soon as the snow started to recede.

I mow the lawn but the sweet violet stays below the mower blades. I now know it is considered invasive in Oregon. It was already established on the property when I bought the house two years ago. Picture was taken April 29. – Wallowa County

A: Wild violets (Viola papilionacea, Viola sororal, Viola pubescens and other species) are a close relative of violas, pansies and other garden flowers. While some people view this plant as a fine wildflower, others regard it as a stubborn perennial lawn weed.

Wild violets can be removed by hand, especially if you regularly inspect your lawn, to control the plant before it spreads. But sometimes this weed calls for the use of chemical herbicides for complete eradication. Using herbicide to eradicate wild violets is best undertaken in the fall when the herbicide will be transported down to the taproot as the plant stores nutrients for winter. Thus, you have a good chance of the herbicide killing the plant with a fall application.

If you use herbicide in the spring or summer, it might only temporarily kill the surface leaves, allowing the plant to rebound. It’s a perennial weed with a long tap root on it. Use a broadleaf killer that contains 2,4-D or Dicamba, and it will selectively kill the violets without damaging the grass. Another great wild violet herbicide is called Drive (quinclorac). Quinclorac is also sold in other lawn weed control products, under differing names.

Because wild violets have pretty flowers that bloom early and often, not everyone regards this plant as a weed. Many homeowners choose to let these wildflowers grow in their lawns and elsewhere.

There are several reasons for tolerating wild violets in the lawn:

• It makes for a low-maintenance lawn.
• It avoids the use of herbicide.
• The plant is friendly to bees and other pollinators.
• Wild violets and other wildflowers can be a great ground cover in moist, shady areas where grass is difficult to grow.
• It is conducive to natural landscape design, as wild violets are a native species.
• Wild violets are also edible weeds. Both the flowers and leaves can be eaten, and young leaves have a pleasant nutty taste.
• Some people use wild violets medicinally.

– Chris Rusch, OSU Extension Master Gardener

Q: I have two very large red flax plants that have outgrown their current location in my yard. Are they hard to remove? With they survive transplanting? – Marion County

A: The red flax from South Africa is an annual. Your plant appears to be the type called New Zealand flax (Phorium tenex). These plants should be transplanted in spring before it sends up new growth shoots. In my experience with similar plants, they can be transplanted successfully, but the root may be quite large. Try to capture as much of the root as you can when you dig it up. Alternatively, you can harvest the seeds and start new plants, however, they are slow growers. – Lynne Marie Sullivan, OSU Extension Master Gardener

Q: I’m building a vegetable garden for the first time. My “soil” is basically just clay. Do I need to remove the clay and fill my garden space with other soil? How do I determine which route to go? – Washington County

A: Because clay can be difficult to grow vegetables in, OSU recommends building or acquiring a raised bed structure to fill with soil that is porous, will hold nutrients and is a better growing medium than hard native soil.  You can read about the entire process here.

If you can’t obtain a raised bed structure, this article has suggestions about improving the native soil. You may see little difference this year and decide to grow your garden in containers until your clay is improved.  – Kris LaMar, OSU Extension Master Gardener

Q: I have an espalier apple tree that is planted in a half whiskey barrel. Should the horizontal branches be kept at a certain length because it’s in a pot and not the ground? The tree is not giving fruit like it did in its first two to three years. I’m wondering if there is not enough energy in the root system to bear much fruit spurs if the horizontal branches are too long. – Clackamas County

A: Here are the issues I see:  First, I suspect that the container is too small for the root ball to absorb adequate water and nutrients.  

Second, I don’t know your tree’s type, but this Extension publication recommends that only dwarf varieties be espaliered. Although it doesn’t address containerized trees specifically, they need more fertilizer than plants in native (clay) soil.  Both compost tea and chicken manure are primarily nitrogen, and the tree needs more phosphorus and potassium.  Providing a more balanced (such as 10-10-5) time release fertilizer will restore nutrients and promote foliage and fruit growth.  Potassium promotes root health, but I fear that more roots will only exacerbate the problem.

– Kris LaMar, OSU Extension Master Gardener

Q: When is the best time to plant blooming hydrangeas? – Coos County

A: The best time to plant hydrangeas is either the fall or spring.  If planting in the spring, it is best to wait till after the danger of frost is over.  May would be a good time to plant as it gives it time to acclimate before the hot summer weather starts.  Here are some tips for planting and caring for this beautiful plant. – Samantha Clayburn, OSU Extension Master Gardener