Re: Violets as Soil Indicators

[Frank L Teuton]

Title: Violets as Soil Indicators

Hi Jane,   I've seen violets mostly in heavy clay soils (DC suburbs, Baltimore, and now here in Montreal. Typically rich in organic matter. Likes shade but will take sun if the soil is moist. pH generally neutral to alkaline.   Lots of fun and always a pleasure for me to see a violet, although some folks agree that they are weeds in lawns, I don't see it that way...strawberries don't necessarily mean acidity either, but lots of organic matter (which buffers pH 'de tout facon', or as the Quebecois say, 'anyway'....;-)....and that means some balance between fungi and bacteria, driven the way the plant likes it....   It's a 'woodland plant'....   My two cents,   Frank Teuton--who has eaten violets more than a few times   Hello All, I was wondering if anyone could tell me what a preponderance of violets within what was once presumably lawn in my back yard? They have taken over. I didn�t see mention of them in the Pfeiffer �Weeds & What they Tell�. I did see a bit of wild strawberries mixed in so I was wondering if the violets indicate an overly acidic soil?