Salinity affects a lot of Swan Hill gardens. Peta-Lyn and John have worked with it on their own block since 1981, and they know which plants will do well in yours.
Dryland salinity is one of the most widespread challenges for Swan Hill gardeners. Rising groundwater carries naturally occurring salts up through the soil. As that water evaporates at the surface, the salt stays behind and the topsoil gets harder and harder for plants to grow in.
It isn't only farm country. Plenty of house blocks in and around Swan Hill have some salt. Sometimes it's obvious: bare patches and a white crust on the soil. Sometimes it's quieter: plants that struggle for no clear reason even though you water them.
When the Nosattis took on the old dairy farm block just outside Swan Hill in 1981, salt was a serious problem. The cleared land had rising groundwater, hard soil and patches where nothing would grow.
Over 45 years they've trialled a lot of plants, learned what works, and built a 3-acre garden that shows what's possible in the Mallee, even on a salty block, when you pick the right plants and work with the land.
"The salt isn't going to go away overnight. But the right plants don't just cope with it. Some of them actually love it." Peta-Lyn Nosatti
Soil salinity is measured as electrical conductivity in deciSiemens per metre (dS/m). For choosing plants, three bands are enough.
Common in many Swan Hill house gardens. Most salt tolerant plants do well, and natives, Mediterranean herbs and plenty of ornamentals are all on the table.
More common on rural blocks and in low-lying spots. Choosing well matters more: stick to plants with proven moderate to high salt tolerance.
Hard, but not hopeless. True halophytes, plants that evolved for salty ground, do well where nothing else will. Saltbushes and black tea tree lead the way.
You don't need a soil test before you visit. Tell Peta-Lyn or John about your block: where the problem patches are, what has struggled or died, what the soil looks like. They'll give you a practical read on what you're dealing with. Bring photos if you have them.
Even 20 to 30 cm of better soil gives a young plant a less salty place to get started. On a difficult block this one step makes the biggest difference.
Shallow watering keeps roots near the surface, where salt builds up as water evaporates. Deep, less frequent watering pushes roots down into less salty soil.
Mulch cuts evaporation from the soil, which is what concentrates the salt. A 10 cm layer of coarse mulch makes a real difference.
If your bore water is salty, use rainwater or town water for the first 6 to 12 months. Once they're established, most salt tolerant plants cope with salty irrigation.
Atriplex nummularia
Melaleuca lanceolata
Olea europaea
Ficus carica
Eremophila glabra
Natives that evolved in salty, dry country, fruit trees that handle it, and garden shrubs that still look good on a salty block.
High salt toleranceShrub to 3 m
Atriplex nummularia
The benchmark salt tolerant plant for the Mallee. A big, mounding silver-grey shrub for screening, windbreaks and wildlife habitat, and the most widely planted saltbush in Australia.
High salt toleranceGroundcover
Enchylaena tomentosa
A low, spreading groundcover with small red and yellow berries the birds love. One of the most salt tolerant natives of all. Very little care once it's established.
High salt toleranceTree to 5 m
Melaleuca lanceolata
A true Mallee native and one of the most salt tolerant trees on record. A dense screening tree with masses of white flowers in summer, and great bird habitat.
Moderate to highShrub
Eremophila glabra
One of the most versatile and good-looking salt tolerant natives, in low, spreading and upright forms with red, orange or yellow flowers. Honeyeaters love it. Plant it on a raised mound in heavier soil.
High salt toleranceTree to 8 m
Acacia salicina
A graceful, weeping tree with pale yellow flowers. Frost tolerant, salt tolerant and quick to grow: one of the best natives for a windbreak or screen on a salty block.
ModerateTree to 8 m
Acacia pendula
The blue-grey weeping tree of the Mallee and Murray floodplains. A beautiful shade tree for low to moderate salinity.
Low to moderateConifer
Callitris glaucophylla
A fine-textured native conifer and one of the signature trees of the inland Mallee. Suits sandy, salty soils and makes a long-lived screen or windbreak.
High salt toleranceGroundcover
Carpobrotus rossii
The go-to groundcover for bare, salty patches. Succulent and spreading, with bright pink-purple flowers in spring. It holds the soil and keeps weeds down.
ModerateStrappy grass
Lomandra longifolia and others
Tough, strap-leafed native grasses that hold soil, need almost no care and handle moderate salinity. Good for banks and mass planting.
High salt toleranceFruit tree
Olea europaea
Among the most salt tolerant of all fruit trees and made for the Mallee climate. Long-lived, drought hardy once established, and a handsome garden tree. Ask us about eating and oil varieties.
Moderate to highFruit tree
Ficus carica
A great performer in the Mallee. Deep roots reach moisture below the salty layer, crops are generous, and the autumn colour is a bonus. Frost tolerant once established.
Moderate to highFruit tree
Punica granatum
From the dry Middle East, a climate a lot like ours. Very drought and salt tolerant, with red summer flowers, autumn colour and striking fruit. Under-planted in Swan Hill.
High salt toleranceNut tree
Pistacia vera
Exceptionally drought and salt tolerant, and suited to exactly the hot, dry, low-rainfall summers Swan Hill gets. A long-lived tree that does well where others get stressed.
ModerateFruit tree
Cydonia oblonga
Hardy and under-rated. Handles dry conditions and moderate salinity easily, with lovely spring blossom and golden autumn fruit. A good alternative to fussier stone fruit.
ModerateFruit trees
Prunus: apricot, peach, plum
Swan Hill is stone fruit country. Moderate salt tolerance, so plant on raised beds where it's saltier. Apricots are the toughest. Ask about low-chill varieties.
Moderate to highShrub
Westringia fruticosa
One of the best all-round shrubs for hard conditions. White to soft mauve flowers, fine grey-green leaves and very good salt tolerance. Makes a lovely informal hedge.
ModerateShrub
Lavandula
A Swan Hill favourite and a reliable choice on moderately salty ground. French lavender handles our heat better than English types. Trim after flowering to keep it compact.
ModerateHerb
Salvia rosmarinus
A Mediterranean herb made for the Mallee. Drought and moderately salt tolerant, with blue flowers in winter and spring, and handy in the kitchen.
ModerateShrub
Callistemon rugulosus and others
A reliable choice on moderately salty ground, Callistemon rugulosus especially. Red flowers, birds and very little fuss.
Moderate to highSucculents
Agave, aloe, sedum
Their water-storing leaves help them cope with salt, and agaves are especially tough. Good in raised beds, pots and feature spots on a hard block.
ModerateShrub
Eremophila maculata
Pink, red or white tubular flowers over a long season. Hardy, moderately salt tolerant and loved by birds. Plant it on a mound in heavier soil.
Olive and pistachio are the most salt tolerant fruit trees. Fig, pomegranate and carob handle moderate to high salinity, and almond and quince handle moderate salt. Stone fruit copes with moderate salt if you plant it on a raised bed.
Yes, moderately. Lavender does well on moderately salty ground and loves our dry heat. French lavender copes with a Swan Hill summer better than English lavender.
Rosemary, now named Salvia rosmarinus, handles moderate salinity and drought once it's established. Coast rosemary (westringia) is even tougher on salt.
Black tea tree and coobah (sally wattle) have high salt tolerance. Weeping myall, black box and river red gum handle moderate salt, and white cypress pine suits sandy, salty soil. For a big shrub, old man saltbush is the benchmark.
Not enough to fix a garden bed. Saltbushes and other salt-loving plants hold up where others fail, but what makes the bigger difference is where you plant: on a raised mound, away from the low spots where salt collects, with plenty of mulch.
Pigface is the go-to for bare, salty patches: it spreads, holds the soil and flowers bright pink in spring. Ruby saltbush is another very salt tolerant groundcover, with berries the birds love.
Bring photos if you have them. Tell us what's been struggling, where the problem patches are and what the soil looks like, and you'll get honest, practical advice about what will work on your block.