I just read the posts on Bleach Damage in the Garden.
I have a severe problem in that most, if not all of my landscaping around the house is either dead, dying, or seriously affected. At this point, I'm wondering if I can save any of it. We had our roof and house power washed about three weeks ago. I had no idea that they would be using bleach, or I would not have had it done. I believe this must have been the first house they ever power washed, and they had no idea what they were doing. Evidently, they used an extremely powerful bleach solution. We saw by the next day several bushes that were severely affected. Most were near downspouts. Each day the bushes looked worse than the day before and then it started spreading from bush to bush. Within the first week, we knew that several were dying. I started trying to find help, but was unable to get anyone to come out. Several nurseries did not even reply to my messages, and those few that did probably thought it wasn't worth their while to replace a couple bushes. A little over a week after power washers came, we had a wonderful two day rain, which I thought should wash the bleach and soap off. The water coming out of the downspout by the driveway was filled with masses of large white soap chunks, probably covering 25%. I had no idea how important it was to water, water. Anyone that saw the plants kept saying that after that great rain, just to give it time. They aren't saying that anymore. It seemed to spread more rapidly by the day. Now, there are no unaffected plantings, even moving to my pygmy palms. Some are totally lifeless, others dead on one side or scattered dead branches. The best of them have a few yellow or black leaves.
I've talked to them at the extension office, and will be taking branches in for them to examine this week , as well as some soil to be tested. I've spent a lot of time on the internet, trying to find out if there isn't something like an arborist that I can hire to check everything. We just found a government agency that had us send pictures by email I still want to hire someone to come out. Any suggestions?
Is it too late for me to hire a handyman to thoroughly water several days a week? I'm 85 and can't do it myself. Another problem is that the homeowners association just finished the hard pruning for winter and put down heavy mulch. Is it too late to add or replace topsoil with all the new mulch? Are baking soda, gypsum or vinegar spray a possibility? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
