I have been super soaking the area where the boxwoods are. I have cut off all of the dead branches. One is just barely a twig stump in the ground, but is starting to show some signs of like.

I dug up all of the dead grass, laid cardboard, fresh soil and bought sod to remedy the lawn problem. It seems to be doing great. It took root, no yellowing and its been a month or more.

My problem is one of my flower beds. I lost all the perennials. I replaced them with ornamental grass and annuals for now. Now they are all dried up. There is some green shoots but I cant tell if they are new growth or stuff that just hasn't died yet. . . I have to admit I didn't super soak that bed like I have been doing to the boxwoods. I didn't realize or think about the salt still being in the soil.

Now I want to lay cardboard then a layer of fresh soil and scatter wildflower seeds. I was thinking about leaving the grasses in to see if they recover. My hope is that the cardboard will create a barrier from the salt and the roots from the seeds will start life in good soil and hopefully the salt will leach down from watering the seeds.

This is the front of my house, my curb appeal. I'm just sick about it. But I don't want to spend more $$ if the problem is going to persist.

What would you do?????. . . thanks

that are planted ONLY with annuals ...

perhaps your failure.. is on insisting on perennials ...

one of the areas is all free seeding annauls .. so i dont even have to plant seed ... though it looks more like a wildflower bed.. as compared to a neat little bed of marching soldiers ...

if your plan fails.. find a new plan ... dont repeat history ...

have you ever considered sand.. to reduce salt use .... thing is.. you have to buy the sandbox sand in summer.... and have it ready .... it might be hard to find in winter ...

ken

Probably readily available at feed & grain stores.

Thanks TexasRanger for the links to salt tolerant plants. . . I didn't even know there was such a thing. . . will they do OK planting them in the already *salty* soil?

Ken. . . self-seeding annuals is a dream of mine, however. . . my neighbors have a very dirty seed dropping tree. I have to work over the beds come spring or I will have a yard full of trees. I think I disturb the would be seedlings, they never return.

Thanks again all. . .

Curly Leaf Mountain Mahogany comes to mind. I'd have that over Boxwood any day, any time. It has medium salt tolerance.

Ericameria nauseosa (Rubber Rabbitbush) is a wonderful silver shrub native to Montana, salt tolerant. I have one & planted 4 more. I love this all silver shrub, when its kept trimmed as a landscape plant it just shines!

CURLY LEAF MAHOGANY showing seed heads that catch the sunlight in late afternoon.

Also the town put a sidewalk in 5 years ago, and they use quite a bit of salt treating it. The front gardens go right up to the side walk, with hardy rugged type perennials like Irises, daylilies, grasses, chives, daffs. These seem unaffected by the salt, but I did lose a butterfly weed this past winter (Asclepias tuberosa) that was right next to the sidewalk so maybe the salt affected it? I never considered the salt actually.