Hi all

I live 1 block from the ocean in Rockaway, NY. My entire property was
inundated with about 7 feet of salt water by Sandy. My lawn is dead.
My azaleas are dead. My butterfly bushes and my lilacs and my day
lilies are dead.

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like
to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

All advice appreciated.

Chris

On Sunday, February 24, 2013 9:28:26 AM UTC-5, Chris wrote:
Hi all



I live 1 block from the ocean in Rockaway, NY. My entire property was

inundated with about 7 feet of salt water by Sandy. My lawn is dead.

My azaleas are dead. My butterfly bushes and my lilacs and my day

lilies are dead.



Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like

to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main

concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the

proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe

now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-

will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?



All advice appreciated.



Chris

Anything that spreads will hold soil. Isn't Fescue the only grass that grows there? As far a shrubbers goes Hollies don't like sandy soil. I believe some of the Big Box stores actually have someone to come out and give advice.. Of course you would have to buy all the stuff there. Sorry for your destruction but enjoy the clean slate
MJ

On Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:28:26 -0800 (PST), Chris
wrote:

Hi all

I live 1 block from the ocean in Rockaway, NY. My entire property was
inundated with about 7 feet of salt water by Sandy. My lawn is dead.
My azaleas are dead. My butterfly bushes and my lilacs and my day
lilies are dead.

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like
to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

All advice appreciated.

I would choose coastal plants that grow there naturally.
http://www.mass.gov/czm/coastal_landscaping/dune.htm
http://www.mass.gov/czm/coastal_land....htm#beachplum

In article
,
Chris wrote:

Hi all

I live 1 block from the ocean in Rockaway, NY. My entire property was
inundated with about 7 feet of salt water by Sandy. My lawn is dead.
My azaleas are dead. My butterfly bushes and my lilacs and my day
lilies are dead.

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like
to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

All advice appreciated.

Chris

"Google" salt resistant garden plants, i.e.
http://landscaping.about.com/od/land...t_tolerant.htm

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/salt-resistant-perennials.html

Ask for advice at a local nursery.

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party

Chris wrote:
Hi all

I live 1 block from the ocean in Rockaway, NY. My entire property was
inundated with about 7 feet of salt water by Sandy. My lawn is dead.
My azaleas are dead. My butterfly bushes and my lilacs and my day
lilies are dead.

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like
to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

All advice appreciated.

i'd wait until the warmer weather comes
along and see which start to regrow.

you might have some plants that are
still alive.


songbird

On Sun, 24 Feb 2013, Brooklyn1 wrote:

I would choose coastal plants that grow there naturally.
http://www.mass.gov/czm/coastal_landscaping/dune.htm
http://www.mass.gov/czm/coastal_land....htm#beachplum

Absolutely. I see that the bush that my father planted all around our beach
house many decades ago is listed: the Northern Bayberry. Have one of these
and you'll never have to buy bay leaves again.

Don. www.donwiss.com (e-mail link at home page bottom).

On 2/24/2013 9:28 AM, Chris wrote:

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like
to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

All advice appreciated.

I got an email from my local nursery that mentioned putting
down gypsum to counter the saline if your property was flooded with
seawater. It doesn't affect the ph.

nancy

Chris wrote:

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would like
to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

But of course, salt is highly water soluable... precipitation
constantly desalinates seashores. A couple of heavy downpours will
bring your soil back to its previous/normal salinity

Brooklyn1 wrote:
Chris wrote:

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would
like to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- my property is all sand and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

But of course, salt is highly water soluable... precipitation
constantly desalinates seashores. A couple of heavy downpours will
bring your soil back to its previous/normal salinity

Maybe. It depends on the soil. If the soil is very sandy then the salt
will leach out fairly quickly, this is common in beach-side suburbs and
villages. It is possible the soil contains significant clay or organic
matter in which case it will bind salts (including sea salt). In that case
the Calcium in gypsum will be beneficial as the it will displace Sodium from
binding colloids.

D

On Fri, 5 Apr 2013 08:40:38 +1100, "David Hare-Scott"
wrote:

Brooklyn1 wrote:
Chris wrote:

Now that I have a decent start on getting my house fixed, I would
like to ask advice about what to do about my garden and lawn. My main
concern is soil remediation- _my property is all sand_ and given the
proximity to the ocean, it's usually salty but it's got to be severe
now. We've got good drainage and we've had snow and rain since then-
will that have gotten rid of the salt and any contaminants?

But of course, salt is highly water soluable... precipitation
constantly desalinates seashores. A couple of heavy downpours will
bring your soil back to its previous/normal salinity

Maybe. It depends on the soil. If the soil is very sandy then the salt
will leach out fairly quickly, this is common in beach-side suburbs and
villages. It is possible the soil contains significant clay or organic
matter in which case it will bind salts (including sea salt). In that case
the Calcium in gypsum will be beneficial as the it will displace Sodium from
binding colloids.

Read more carefully, the OP said the soil is all sand.