violet question

[jpbhen]

will the common purple violet grow here on the panhandle? i would like to transplant a clump growing at my mom's house in cincinnati (originally from her father's garden - and she is 91!). i brought some with me this week to try a test planting. any suggestions? shade? next to house for runoff in the morning? add soil or compost to bedding area? they are pretty tough little flowers. thanks for any help - this is a family tradition that should not die out!!

 

[aggieb]

i don't have an answer for you, but i love the story behind it.

 

[2bohemians]

Don't know the answer to that one either. Perhaps plant some in a pot and some in test areas.

How's the catnip growing this year?

 

[Shockleysprings]

Pick a partially shaded location with an eastern exposure and high organic matter.

 

[GoodWitch58]

they grow wonderfully well in DeFuniak Springs and north of there. That is my favorite flower of all! Fondest memories of picking handfuls of them from the woods on our farm when I was a little girl. Beautiful! They do grow in the shade; do especially well under dogwood trees.
Thanks for reminding me of something special.

http://www.centerforsustainablecommunity.org/images/lg/WildViolets.jpg

 

[Rita]

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I would do full shade in FL and add plenty of compost and top dress with compost each year. The compost will help your sandy soil retain water better. Maybe plant where you can make sure they get watered during drier stretches. They prefer moderately moist shade though are often pretty tolerant. Love the violets!

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[jpbhen]

Don't know the answer to that one either. Perhaps plant some in a pot and some in test areas.

How's the catnip growing this year?

the catnip is doing GREAT! i just met the little cat who lives at Cotton's produce in freeport - i am going to take her a small pot of catnip to grow there. do you need more for your kitties? i can take care of them as well! just let me know . . . .

 

[jpbhen]

i don't have an answer for you, but i love the story behind it.

the story IS cool! the originals were transplanted from the woods, maybe 100 years or so ago (before mom was born). when her parents died, some were moved to the house where i grew up, and then on to my parents' second house. when i married and had a house, i took a clump, and when we moved to a second house, the violets came too. last june, my mom's great granddaughter claire (age 6) came to visit (my sister's granddaughter) and took a clump home to Massachusetts to plant in her garden. i am now trying to make sure i can grow them here to keep the tradition going, since my son has a condo in tennessee and is not quite ready for a house. worst case scenario is that i will have to get violets from claire's garden in mass. to transplant to tn someday! but i am hoping i can get them going here. thanks to everyone for all of the advice and tips.

 

[Mermaid]

I love your violet story Beach Angel. I mowed the lawn on Sunday and my husband said to me after "I think you missed a spot in the middle." I told him I missed the spot on purpose because it was an adorable clump of violets and I didn't have the heart to cut them down! I won't use harsh chemicals on the grass because they're considered weeds. Can you imagine????

 

[Rita]

I love your violet story Beach Angel. I mowed the lawn on Sunday and my husband said to me after "I think you missed a spot in the middle." I told him I missed the spot on purpose because it was an adorable clump of violets and I didn't have the heart to cut them down! I won't use harsh chemicals on the grass because they're considered weeds. Can you imagine????

Good for you! We had them mixed in our front yard at one home in Illinois and we just set the mower a little higher during and they companioned with the grass beautifully. They became conditioned and were shorter than normal after a while so were just part of the yard, pretty much unoticed except when blooming.

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