Soft Water Question

by Sandy
(Indiana)

Our outdoor faucet in the backyard was left hooked up to our water softener system when it was installed. The plumber is requiring big bucks to go in our crawl space and do the plumbing work to bypass this pipe. We use this hose for our vegetable garden and all flowers and bushes in the back and side yard areas, plus the yard if needed. Will using softened water harm the vegetation? It's the type of water softener that you add sacks of salt to every few weeks.

Doug says that not only will it be costly (very) it isn't the greatest thing in the world. Adding salt to soil will over time create problems and poor health of your plants. While natural rains will wash the salt down through the soil, constantly adding softened water from the top will continually add small amounts of salt to your plant and will create an ongoing stress condition. Some plants will take this - and some won't.

The problem is that you can't say, "soft water killed this plant" because it will be a slow process of gradual decline and some other event may finish off the plant (insects and diseases strike sick plants faster than healthier plants).

Container plants may be another story - many of them will likely be distinctly unhappy with increased salt levels over time.

In my gardening world, water is the single most critical element in gardening success. My best advice is to get it right - and pay the plumber.