I poured my salted pasta water on my perennials to save on watering: when I scraped the soil six months later, I understood why they were dying of thirst
An eco-friendly watering hack turned into a gardening disaster when salt accumulated in the soil, creating a chemical drought that left perennials dying of thirst despite regular watering. What looked like a conservation win revealed a hidden crust of sodium that reversed the plant’s ability to absorb water.