On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:25:38 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

trbo20 wrote:
Hi All,

This is more of a lawn and garden question, but I didn't get much
response on that group. I thought I'd try here since this group tends
to attract a wide variety of expertise.

I recently purchased a new home and have noticed a large area in my
back yard that looked like death on roots. The grass was brown, a
dozen or so smaller trees, one mature forsythia, a small rhododendron
were all dead. A large Weeping Willow is on its last legs.

When I investigated the problem, it didn't take me long to realize
what was causing it. The previous owner ran the drain tube for his
water softener into a sump pit in the basement. He then channeled
the
discharge from the pit to the affected spot at the back of my lawn.
Every time the softener cycled, it flushed a potent load of salt
water
onto the root systems killing everything.

I've already shut down the softener and will remediate the drainage
right away directing the discharge to the house sewage system where
it
belongs. In the mean time I'm wondering what to do with my scorched
earth.

- Is there a way I can test the soil salinity to determine the extent
of my problem?
- Will rain water eventually wash the problem away? The roof gutters
discharge to the same location so there's plenty of irrigation.
- Is there something I can plant in the damaged area that loves salt,
and possibly even eats it up?

Thank you in advance for your answers.

Dunno. There are places the Romans salted (Carthage, et al) 2000 years ago
that are still sterile.

Maybe you could wait it out?


Those folks waiting out the adverse affects; of a Tsunami on farm
land need dollars and remediation of salt from the ocean. Our USDA is
helping.

--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"