Softener salt and Pine trees

[keegantimber]

Back 20 years ago when I built my house I installed a water softener. I was told not to have the water softener discharge hose empty into the septic system.
I plumbed the discharge hose into some plastic drainage pipe which also carrys eavestrough drainage water away from the house...eventually about 30 ft into a low ground area. In this immediate area are four or five large pine trees guessing about 60 years old. One of these pines died about 5 years ago and now Im noticing another one struggling. Just a guess but Im figuring the salt water from the water softener recycling is killing these pines off. Im considering trying to extend the plastic drainage pipe another 50 feet or so in attempt to get the salt water away from the roots of the pines . Any comments ? Salt killing off these pines ?? Worth my shovelling to dig a trench to extend the drainage pipe ??

 

[Jed1124]

Only if you want to keep the trees, but the damage most likely has already been done.
Gypsum can help salt leech through soil to get it past the root zone.

 

[ATH]

Take a soil test. I was consulting on some trees killed by a township's road salt storage area. I called one of the most respected soil scientists in the state...he said soil chemistry is not his expertise and referred me to Don Burgess at A&L Great Lakes Labratories. He was very helpful.

I took a several samples starting near the damage and following the drain back. At each spot I took samples from the surface soil and from 12" deep - the idea is that we can monitor soil salinity over time.

I also spoke with D'Wight at http://pspenterprises.us/

He sells a humic acid/fulvic acid product called Root Magic. I was using that for something else and noticed it said something on the label about salt damage...so i called the manufacturer. They told me to talk to D'Wight as he really knows what he is doing. This was his recommendation:

Spread gypsum (amount will depend on soil test - lab will give you those #s).

treat with 2.5 gallons of Root Magic + 2 lbs of Bio-Remedy per Acre Spring, 4 weeks later and then again in the fall ( 2 seasons) Your cost-in-use is $338.00 per treatment

if possible, irrigate when needed to maintain leaching process of Sodium,

 

[keegantimber]

Thanks for all the info guys !

 

[Jonny Quest]

Most conifers don't like alkali soil. Most likely your brine effluent is damaging the trees.

JQ