Will Salt Kill a Woody Vine?

Plant Salt Tolerance

• Salt tolerance among plants depends entirely on the species. Some plants can grow right by the seaside or inland saltwater marshes, and work well for gardens where plants are periodically subjected to salt spray from ocean breezes or to salty runoff from cold winter road conditions. Others tolerate almost no salt, and salt exposure will lead to burned or withered patches, and can kill even tough plants such as woody vines. Before planting a vine in a salt-exposed area, research its needs and tolerances to make sure it will thrive.

Sources of Environmental Salt

• Salt occurs naturally in the environment by the seaside, where it may make its way to gardens through spray. It can also be in the soil, if many years of spray have piled up an accumulation, or enter the garden through salt water sources. In colder areas, salty snow is often plowed off the side of the road, where it eventually melts and becomes runoff that can enter gardens.

Saline Damage

• Many plants, even those not meant to live in salty conditions, can withstand a good deal of salt under the right conditions. Plants have been reported to have survived soaking in salty water for more than a day following hurricanes, because the ground was already so saturated with fresh water that the salt water did not affect them. Other plants may show greater damage. One of the biggest concerns about salt tolerance is that it can lower the ability of tips and twigs to withstand cold.

Fertilizers

• Keep in mind that fertilizers are composed of salts. Though it is not the same salt we normally think of when imagining the sea or table salt, it is nevertheless salt, which is a drying substance. When you apply fertilizer, even to tough plants such as woody vines, you risk damaging a plant by drawing water away from its roots and cells, dehydrating and possibly even collapsing them. Try not to damage plants in this way; always read package directions carefully before applying fertilizer to make sure you don’t overdose.