Salt kills plants. This has been known for as long as man has hated fellow man. The act of “salting the Earth” to prevent the growth of crops has been around since the dawn of war.
However enemy warlords aren’t the only people who are killing your expensive landscaping. The de-icing salt that is scattered on the road every winter will frequently make its way into your lawn and kill your soil.
The salt ideally stays on the road where it’s meant to go; however in reality the salt will be splashed and tracked onto your precious petunias by cars and your feet. The salt will then dry the soil and leave your plants parched for water.
Although there’s not much that can be done in terms of recovery, a little ounce of prevention will go a long way. Some varieties are salt-resistant (such as roses), but still the best solution is to have planted far from the road. You can flush your plantings with abundant water but that may be a bit difficult in the middle of winter.
