Wow, what a wet, wonderful winter we have had so far in the Salt Lake Valley! Skiers and snowboarders love it, but homeowners sometimes loathe it – shovel after shovel load of winter wonderland! Streets can be difficult to maintain and driving/walking conditions slippery which brings up a concern for gardeners – deicing salts. Salts used on sidewalks and roads can be very damaging for plants. I recently came across a great blog post from the Co-Horts at Colorado State University on types of de-icing salts and relative toxicity to plants titled Is there a safe deicing product for sidewalks and plants?. I highly encourage you to check it out.
Also check out the USU Extension factsheets:
- Salinity and Plant Tolerance
- Soil Salinity and Ornamental Plant Selection
- Solutions to Soil Problems I. High Salinity (soluble salts)
Once last tip: remember to test your soil in the spring time about a monthprior to planting the garden. Winter and spring moisture (snow pack and spring showers) can leach soluble salts from the rooting zone so sometimes elevated salt levels in the fall decrease naturally. Thanks Mama Nature!
Check out www.usual.usu.edu for more information on soil testing and the USU Extension fact sheet:
- Understanding Your Soil Test Report for guidance on how to interpret results.
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