In the United States, people often use large amounts of salt to remove dangerous ice from roads and walkways in the winter. But when the spring arrives, all that salt can really damage plants in the garden. Salt is the chemical sodium chloride. Salt pulls water from living cells, like plant roots and the healthy ground soil around them. So, spring growth may show up lighter in color than normal, or, in the worst cases, plants may simply die. Rain can wash away much of the salt, permitting some older plants to live. Salt can also be removed by pouring a large amount of water on the ground where plants are growing. But the best action is to simply use less salt. Researchers have found that putting a small amount of salt on a road works better to melt ice than dropping a large amount of salt crystals.
