Are you averse to using Roundup?

Jim

Have you thought about using plant sprays of different colors?
You can find sprays in all colors, such as florists use to spray on carnations, mums, etc., to make them the colors that Mother Nature didn't make them. LOL!

Thanks for the replies! I'm situated in Belgium, and I've never seen Roundup in the shops here. Plus salt water sounds easy, very cheap, and apparently works really well, that's why I went for that. I'm just wondering if it won't seep through the whole area.

But plant sprays in different colors - that sounds amazing! I don't think I have ever seen it in the shops either, but that sounds like something I'd want to order! Any hints on where to buy stuff like that?

I would suggest not using salt. It will work great at first but your initial hunch is correct. Salt and water love each other (That's only one of the reasons it kills plants, because water sticks to salt with more force than the plants can pull it up). As water moves through your soil, not only down but also sideways through capillary action, the salt will go with it. You won't have the neat shapes for too long before the damage spreads. It will then be very difficult for quite a long time to plant anything in those spots without going through an extensive leaching program.

Hey all, I have been just given that same senario by my neighbor. He put in a concrete patio up to 6" from our adjoining fence and rock salted it for texture using at least 10lbs. of rock salt.

He then washed off the rocksalt into the 6" trench between the pad and the fence at the base of the small berm on the other side of the fence planted with 4 nectarine trees, 2 apricot trees, roses between them, and perennial ground cover plantings under them all around 5-6 years old.

They are all dying.

Since his land naturally drains toward the fenceline, the saltwater most likely ran further downhill along the fenceline into the feet of my 5 apple trees and 3 peach trees (with roses between and cround cover perrennials too).

My question is...

How can I save what's left (he washed the salt off on Sunday June 18 '06) besides flushing with precious California drinking water?

Also how should I begin? Would you explain the leaching process? Will this work without sending more saltwater into my other trees downstream?

Thanks for the help!

Jeff

Thanks cramapple. I have been experimenting a bit but so far it didn't go sideways yet. Maybe that's because it's hot and dry right now here, so the water & salt goes straight down. I have let go of the idea of making detailed shapes anyway, maybe some rough, basic shapes.

And microfarmer, I'm sorry to hear that about your garden :( Unfortunately I'm not an experienced enough gardener to help you, but I hope your trees will survive!