Protecting Plants From Chlorine

Growing plants in movable containers is a possible solution if chlorinated water from your swimming pool is hurting your landscape plants.

That way, you can either change the location of the plants when the pool is in use or set them up on bricks to keep them above spilling water. Another possibility is hanging planters nearby to brighten poolside areas.

Frequent hosing down of poolside areas to dilute the chlorine also may help. Using plants with vigorous, extensive and dense root systems, such as Baltic English ivy or periwinkle, is another possibility.

The pool itself is another approach. Just lowering the water level will reduce spillover and minimize chlorine damage to nearby plants.

There are absorbent materials that will soak up splashes, but make sure they are guaranteed to resist chlorine damage.

An alternative is to plant trees, shrubs and other greenery away from the pool so that the plants will be safe from chlorinated water and the pool will be freer of floating leaves.