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Trascoli

(194 posts)
Fri Feb 22, 2013, 07:09 PM Feb 2013

I need help with outdoor plants dying after watering well water

I bought a home last spring and we have well water out here. I have a softener, but it is bypassed at the hose. This was such a dry summer for us I watered a few evergreen bushes, and small maple/oak trees to help them out. The bushes began to turn dry in color and die and the smaller maple/oak leaves dried up and fell off in the middle of summer after watering them. The grass in these areas did great, it was the only green grass in my yard I don't think I over watered them, I have a feeling it has something to do with the well water. Has any experienced problems with watering with well water? Any suggestions? Thanks!

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I need help with outdoor plants dying after watering well water (Original Post) Trascoli Feb 2013 OP
Where do you live? intheflow Feb 2013 #1
I agree with the above. pecwae Feb 2013 #2
Have your well water tested, bvar22 Feb 2013 #3
Those are all good points Trascoli Mar 2013 #4
If it's possible, collect rainwater off of roofs ConcernedCanuk Mar 2013 #5

intheflow

(28,930 posts)
1. Where do you live?
Fri Feb 22, 2013, 07:13 PM
Feb 2013

I'd guess if the grass did okay, it probably wasn't the well water, but that you watered the other plants too little/too late.

pecwae

(8,021 posts)
2. I agree with the above.
Sat Feb 23, 2013, 05:13 AM
Feb 2013

It doesn't sound like a case of overwatering or trouble with the well water. If it's been unusually dry the stress may have been too much for the plant roots and water came too late.

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
3. Have your well water tested,
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:54 PM
Feb 2013

especially if you are new to that location.
Get in touch with your County Extension and ask them.

Everyone using a well should have their water tested regularly.

 

Trascoli

(194 posts)
4. Those are all good points
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 07:12 PM
Mar 2013

I havn't had the water tested, I will have that happen. It just sucks I killed 3 exsisting evergreen bushes, a new maple and new oak. Someone said it might be a rust algea or something in the well water. He suggested I flush my well with bleach to kill it. I'll have it tested early spring, I don't want any of my other plants to die.

 

ConcernedCanuk

(13,509 posts)
5. If it's possible, collect rainwater off of roofs
Wed Mar 6, 2013, 12:47 PM
Mar 2013

.
.
.

or even off a corner of a vehicle - like a half-ton pickup that grabs quite a bit in the box,

I use old bathtubs, lots of them in dumps, or offer in newspapers or on the web to pick them up

if $$ is not an issue, buy 45 gallon rain barrels or garbage cans(cheaper)and collect every drop you can

I've lived without running water for over 5 years, and during a rainstorm I'll be out there in my bathing suit running around collecting water in 10 or 20 litre pails everywhere I find a decent drip,

and then putting the water in bathtubs, or 70 litre garbage cans (plastic) I bought just for that purpose - never use them for garbage

can't go wrong with rainwater methinks

It's work,

but well worth it!

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