I need help with outdoor plants dying after watering well water

[Trascoli]

I bought a home last spring and we have well water out here. I have a softener, but it is bypassed at the hose. This was such a dry summer for us I watered a few evergreen bushes, and small maple/oak trees to help them out. The bushes began to turn dry in color and die and the smaller maple/oak leaves dried up and fell off in the middle of summer after watering them. The grass in these areas did great, it was the only green grass in my yard I don't think I over watered them, I have a feeling it has something to do with the well water. Has any experienced problems with watering with well water? Any suggestions? Thanks!

[intheflow]

1. Where do you live?

I'd guess if the grass did okay, it probably wasn't the well water, but that you watered the other plants too little/too late.

[pecwae]

2. I agree with the above.

It doesn't sound like a case of overwatering or trouble with the well water. If it's been unusually dry the stress may have been too much for the plant roots and water came too late.

[bvar22]

3. Have your well water tested,

especially if you are new to that location.
Get in touch with your County Extension and ask them.

Everyone using a well should have their water tested regularly.

[Trascoli]

4. Those are all good points

I havn't had the water tested, I will have that happen. It just sucks I killed 3 exsisting evergreen bushes, a new maple and new oak. Someone said it might be a rust algea or something in the well water. He suggested I flush my well with bleach to kill it. I'll have it tested early spring, I don't want any of my other plants to die.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. If it's possible, collect rainwater off of roofs

.
.
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or even off a corner of a vehicle - like a half-ton pickup that grabs quite a bit in the box,

I use old bathtubs, lots of them in dumps, or offer in newspapers or on the web to pick them up

if $$ is not an issue, buy 45 gallon rain barrels or garbage cans(cheaper)and collect every drop you can

I've lived without running water for over 5 years, and during a rainstorm I'll be out there in my bathing suit running around collecting water in 10 or 20 litre pails everywhere I find a decent drip,

and then putting the water in bathtubs, or 70 litre garbage cans (plastic) I bought just for that purpose - never use them for garbage

can't go wrong with rainwater methinks

It's work,

but well worth it!