Salt injury on pansies due to excess sodium and chloride in irrigation water

Salt used for deicing roadways in winter can be phytotoxic to plants. When salt dissolves in water, sodium and chloride ions separate. The roots readily absorb chloride ions and they accumulate to toxic levels in the leaf margins and shoots tips. This toxic build-up results in a characteristic marginal scorch. Symptoms of sodium toxicity are marginal leaf chlorosis followed by marginal necrosis. Pansies are particularly sensitive to salts. Other highly sensitive crops are fibrous begonia, celosia, impatiens and zinnia.

Have your well and pond water tested periodically to assure the water is usable for irrigation purposes.