Associated Press
Salt in the soil can be deadly for lawns, trees and gardens, robbing plants of their ability to absorb water. Salt-tolerant varieties are available, however, and ground laden with soluble toxins can be flushed clean to depths below the root zone.
Regular soil testing is the best way to determine salt levels, said Richard Koenig, associate dean and director of Washington State University Extension.
“The problem is common in the Desert Southwest (with irrigation buildups), along roads cleared with de-icers and near oceans, where you get wind-blown sea spray,” he said.
Salinization frequently appears as white-crusted soil on the ground’s surface or stunted vegetation, particularly in low-lying areas.
“Another characteristic symptom is brown and brittle plants,” Koenig said. “People often refer to (soil) salinity as `chemical drought’.”
Anyone who has tried to sprinkle salt from a wet shaker knows how readily salt stores water, said Leonard Perry, an extension professor with the University of Vermont.
“Rock salt exhibits the same property in the soil, and absorbs much of the water that normally would be available to roots,” Perry said. “That’s especially a problem in the spring, when plants are coming out of dormancy and their roots are the most active. Salt competes with plants for that water.”
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