Question From: r. meyer - NEW JERSEY
Q: My pachysandra got flooded from hurricane sandy, the salt water was probably covering it for at least 2 days, now it is all turning brown and shriveling up. Do you think it will come back?
Hard to say Rosemary. Salt burns plants by sucking the moisture from the tissue. Here in Michigan we recommend watering a contaminated area to flush the salt from the soil. Gypsum sprinkled on the the surface of the soil is also said to be helpful. It's probably too late to irrigate. If you see green next spring you can mow the plants, spread the gypsum, top dress the area with good quality compost. and spray the area with a kelp and fish fertilizer such as Neptune's Harvest. Too much fertilizer or chemical fertilizers, which are salt based, will only make things worse. Please let us know how it goes. Good Luck and Happy Yardening, Nancy.
