Table salt can ruin your crops and that's the main ingredient in road salt (sodium chloride). Salt is very soluble. When roads are covered with winter quantities, it easily leaches into underground water. Growers in areas of heavy snowfall who use irrigation water from wells should test their water to confirm adequate levels of sodium and chloride. Plants do not like high levels of sodium or chloride in the soil. At least two growers reported salt problems last year. Don't wait until plants show symptoms... Be proactive!
Another reason to test your water: plugs
It is important to know the water quality you use for plug growth. A plug cell is tiny with scant growing medium that provides almost no buffer capacity. The smaller the plug cell, the larger the negative effect of water alkalinity. The effect of water quality on fertility is great. Higher water alkalinity levels produce higher media pH and micronutrient deficiencies. If you want to have a rational fertility plan for plugs you must test your water every 6 months.
The ideal values for irrigation water for plugs are: alkalinity (bicarbonates) between 40 - 60 ppm, pH 5.0 - 5.5, EC 0.2 - 0.8 mS, calcium 50 ppm, magnesium 25 ppm, chloride 15 ppm, sodium 20 ppm and boron less than 0.5 ppm.
Some characteristics, such as alkalinity, can be corrected easily. Others, such as high EC or high sodium, may require expensive equipment such as reverse osmosis or deionized water systems.
