Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Use Water Softener Salt to Dissolve Tree Roots
How to Use Water Softener Salt to Dissolve Tree Roots. When you landscape over a septic system drain field, most landscapers recommend shallow-rooted plants such as annual flowers or drought tolerant grasses. Trees with deep roots can grow down into gravel surrounding pipes and might invade cracks in the pipes, widen and break them. Water-loving...
When you landscape over a septic system drain field, most landscapers recommend shallow-rooted plants such as annual flowers or drought tolerant grasses. Trees with deep roots can grow down into gravel surrounding pipes and might invade cracks in the pipes, widen and break them. Water-loving trees, such as willows, even planted at a distance will send roots in the direction of the pipes and cause problems. If you have problem tree roots in your septic system, you can temporarily rescue your pipes by flushing them with salts from a water softener to dissolve the root hairs of invading roots.
Things You'll Need
Measuring cup
Rock salt
Select salt that is used in a water softener to kill tree roots. Common salts used in water softeners include rock salt, solar salt or evaporated salt. Rock salt is available commercially from any grocery store.
Measure 1 cup of rock salt using a measuring cup.
Pour the salt into the toilet and flush.
Measure and flush rock salt again every two weeks.
Tips & Warnings
Another substance you can use to kill roots is copper sulfate.
Although flushing pipes with water softener will kill roots, it is a temporary solution. Eventually you will have to uproot problem trees to prevent the roots from invading.
Flushing salt into your septic system can upset the balance of the septic system and raise the pH of the soil in your drain field. This can make it difficult to grow grasses and shallow rooted plants in the area. Never use too many salts in your septic system.
