Will it be ok to ever replant if I use salt to destroy a field of weeds?

Question

I have an area of weeds and unwanted plants about 300 sq ft. I have used a little bit if plant killer, but I am thinking of adding some pure salt on top to kill all the plants. If I wait a while and spread some manure, will the salt eventually leach out and will I be able to plant some trees there? In like 6 months?

Answer 1

salt would really be a bad choice to use anywhere, try Round-up and mix in a few drops of liquid dish soap, it helps the product adhere to the plant.

Answer 2

Removing saline contaminants from the soil depends entirely on the rainfall and drainage patterns. Areas with no drainage like Great Salt Lake Basin accumulate salt over time. Australia has enormous problems with salt build up in the soil. If there is no exit for the rain to the sea you keep the salt ions. If your area drains it will, eventually, wash out.
Salt is not a recommended method of eliminating weeds.
Pesticides Database listing for sodium chloride
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC34362

5% Vinegar is a viable method for young weeds or with several application it works on mature plants. The other choice is 10% vinegar and clove oil or a citrus oil to aid in killing the older weeds. It is the acid in vinegar that injures the plants, probably in two ways. The main method is the acid injures the plant's cellular membranes causing rapid water loss leading to eventual plant death. Then it will acidify the surrounding soil somewhat, vinegar is a weak acid, so the soil is expected to return to its normal pH after a few weeks or after a good rain. However while still present the low pH of the vinegar will disturb the ability of the plant roots to draw up nutrients and the minor minerals needed to survive.
300 sqft is not a large area it would even be possible to cover this with newspaper and mulch. This will eliminate all weeds this year and if you include the manure under the mulch it will all compost over the winter ready for planting next spring. If you do not need to till the area the weed seeds will remain buried so never germinate because they mostly require light to begin to germinate. Only till the manure and mulch in if you have insufficient organics in your soil otherwise let the worms till it in for you.

Answer 3

I would not use salt at all. Yes it will leach out eventually but depending on the clay content of your soil and your annual rainfall it could take years. An overdose of manure will kill most plants but it will eventually just exacerbate your weed problem. Take samples of your weeds to your nursery for identification lets see if it will not just be easier to poison the little beggars. A good environmentally friendly (but not always a socially acceptable) way would be to trash the weeds i.e. slash them and leave as you have cut them to degrade back into the soil. The garden beasties will really love you for this and the fresh trash will prevent further weeds from coming up.

Answer 4

i would probably weed wack weeds down rototill clean all setiment out then seed and weed on the weekends to prevent grow back for every weeding replace with seed i personally dont like chemical use and salt would not be a good thing

Answer 5

You can't control the effect cause you don't know dosages. it could kill your microorganisms for a long time. Manure will change the weed populations. Do that first, with lime, till it in.