SIGNS / SYMPTOMS:

The buildup of salt in soil is primarily caused by de-icing efforts, however, excess fertilization can increase salt levels as well. Salt damages plants by limiting the availability of nutrients in the soil as well as damaging plant tissue itself. Salt injury is most evident in spruce trees as a spiral dieback pattern. This is due to the water uptake structures of conifers being offset from one another as they move up the tree.

MANAGEMENT:

Prevention is the best cure. Minimize salt use in the landscape and channel runoff away from the root zone of trees. Wrap trees close to roadways where salt spray is a problem. Gypsum can be applied to help bind the salt molecules in the soil, allowing them to be flushed out with heavy irrigation.