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.
-Tom B Audubon, PA