Salt on gravel.

A bag of salt I was feeding to my horses got clumpy so I got rid of it in my pea gravel driveway. I put it on weeds in the gravel and since then the weeds have died. I feel naughty for wanting to buy more rock salt and kill more weeds in the gravel. Would this practice negate my "organic card"? Does anyone know if doing this will create discord in surrounding lawn/garden areas.

I live along a main state road and though my garden isn't affected, my neighbor's garden has received direct runoff, including all the salt that gets spread in the winter. It was made worse when they repaved the road directing even more water at him, which was enough to cause him to abandon the garden. Salty water seldom stays put. Only you can tell if runoff will damage your surrounding vegetation.

Wayne

Please be VERY careful in your use of salt.Once it is built up, the damage is permanent. Some plants are salt tolerant, but others are quickly killed. Some salts occur naturally in our soils. Here is one discussion of the effects: http://tinyurl.com/99pb8

Yuska

I've used salt dissolved in white vinegar and sprayed it to kill weeds in gravel. They burn quickly and it doesn't affect the soil as drastically as putting pure salt on the ground. Actually, the local deer came by a licked up a bit of it.

In reply to your original query, you may have negated your "organic card." Here's what ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, has to say about salt as a weed killer:

"Salt

For generations, grower recommendations have included the application of salt to the soil because plantings were observed to respond favorably and weeds were suppressed. The practice fell into disfavor with the introduction of herbicides. It did not revive in the organic community, ostensibly because salt can be detrimental to soil structure. More recently, however, researchers have learned that salt helps control fusarium crown and root rot. It is this factor that is believed to be of the greatest benefit to asparagus (10).

As a weed control agent, salt is only reasonably effective against young, germinating seeds; it does not kill established weeds nor does it provide a long-lasting effect. Sodium chloride (basic rock, table, or pickling salt) may be used. Applications of 1 lb. per 20 row feet (spread to a width of 2.5 feet) are recommended (11). Reasonable caution should be used; while asparagus is salt tolerant, excessive levels can damage the crop and the soil. As mentioned earlier, this tactic may not be permitted in certified organic production. Growers should consult their certification agent before using salt in this manner."

Time to give up this practice and return to the low-sodium, organic fold?

Wayne