If you live in a hard water area in the state, you are probably using a water softener already. But many of our clients asked us if the prolonged use of softened water for lawn and landscape irrigation was detrimental to the soil and plants. Today, our landscaping experts in Ballwin MO decided to answer such questions.
1. Softened Water Can Kill Your Vegetation
If you water your plants with softened water occasionally, it will not damage the vegetation. However, experts showed that the constant use of softened water in your lawn and garden would inevitably damage your landscape.
Softened water contains sodium and potassium. Sodium (salt) interferes with the water balance of all your turf grasses, trees, flowers, and ornamentals. Saltwater tricks the plants into “believing” that they already absorbed the water they needed. In short, sodium-reach water – just like in humans and animals – when consumed in excess, leads to dehydration.
2. Softened Water Damages the Soil
When softened water reaches the ground, the salt slowly but steadily accumulates in the soil. According to our landscaping experts in Ballwin MO, the salt accumulating in the soil damages the grasses and plants’ roots.
Moreover, the sodium building over time damages the quality of your soil. If this spring, you notice brown turf patches, empty areas, and inhibited plant growth, you may have been using softened water for landscape irrigation for far too long.
Another issue with salt accumulation in the soil is that it comes with environmental warnings – it can damage the underground water sources, disrupt the micro-ecosystems, and stunt the growth of future vegetation. The salt in the soil prevents proper water absorption, so new plants will have a hard time growing.
Ask Our Landscaping Experts in Ballwin MO about Soft Water Alternatives
When it comes to proper landscape irrigation in Ballwin, MO, our specialists can help you with finding the best alternatives to using saltwater for watering your garden:
- Ask your local landscaping company to help you with specific spigots you can install to get garden water directly from your main water line;
- Use the bypass valve of your softening system to temporarily circumvent the softening system and use regular water from your mainline;
- Gather rainwater or mix softened water with distilled water to dilute the salt accumulating in the soil and plants.
Now that spring is upon us, talk to your landscape contractor in Ballwin MO about the landscape irrigation methods you can use to avoid watering your yard and garden with softened water.
