How to Grow and Care for Weigela Shrubs Weigela spp.
08.08.2024 - 16:32 / hgic.clemson.edu
Fortunately, Hurricane Debby blew through South Carolina, but she left behind standing water, damaged trees, and other landscape issues. After the storm, homeowners can be left with a real mess to clean up in their yards. The Clemson Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) has compiled some answers to the most commonly asked questions we receive regarding saltwater intrusion and storm damage to landscapes affected.
The good news is that excess sodium can be flushed from the soil over time. Factors such as the soil type and how well it drains will affect how long it will take to reduce the salt concentration. Rain or irrigation water helps by diluting and leaching salt from well-drained soils, and it can take a few months to a year. Poorly drained, mucky soil may take years to recover.
Additionally, high water tables inundated with salt water from the storm can impact shallow irrigation wells, making them unsuitable for watering plants or flushing soil.
If your irrigation source is suitable, approximately six inches of irrigation will flush 50 to 70% of the sodium from the soil, but only apply one inch of water at a time.
The Clemson Agricultural Service Lab offers irrigation water testing to help determine if salinity is an issue in an irrigation water source, such as a well or pond. This service is not intended to assess water quality for drinking purposes. There are several irrigation test options, but for storm-affected areas, we recommend the “Special2” because it includes pH, salinity, major and minor elements that plants require, plus bicarbonate, carbonate, and the sodium adsorption ratio. Your county horticulture or water resources Clemson Extension agent will be able to help interpret the results from this test.
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How to Grow and Care for Weigela Shrubs Weigela spp.
Header image: Cilantro seedlings grown in 100% recycled glass material. Image credit: Andrea Quezada
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The coastal region and Pee Dee saw lots of rain and flooding in places from Tropical Storm Debby last week. As field conditions improve this week, please document any crop or infrastructure impacts from the storm by using the ESF-17 form. The information collected will be used to estimate the statewide agricultural impact of TS Debby. Please note this form is for agricultural impacts only. Extension agents will also be helping to collect this information this week.