Protect Your Trees from Salt Damage

As snow falls and layers of ice form on the ground, it is normal to sprinkle salt to help prevent a winter stroll from turning into a not-so-fun slip and slide. However, this ice melting solvent may not be as helpful and harmless as it may seem. In fact, ice melt products can be incredibly detrimental to trees, leaving them with deadly amounts of salt damage.

What is Salt Damage?

The most common ingredient in ice melt is sodium chloride, also known as rock salt, since it is inexpensive, effective, and available. However, this melting agent also causes damage to any neighboring plants it comes into contact with, including your trees. This salt damages harms your trees by:

• Dehydration: When the snow and ice melt, it runs off the pavement and into the ground, bringing with it all of the salt that was applied. This salt then causes the soil to become more compact, preventing tree roots from growing, and making it harder for the roots to absorb the much-needed water. Ultimately, this leads to the tree becoming dehydrated and could get so bad the tree is unable to perform its basic functions for survival.
• Salt Burns: As you shovel or snow blow your yard, snowplows drive by, or any other situation that ends with the salty slush getting splashed onto your trees, the chance of salt burns increase. Since concentrated amounts of salt is toxic to plants, it leads to salt burns on the tree’s needles, making them wilt and turn an orange-brown color. It is also hard on their bark, since the salt is drying the tree from the outside.
• Weakening Branches: Over time, the combination of dehydration and salt burns will lead to an overall decline in your tree’s health. Its branches will become weaker, there will be an increase in dead branches at the top of your tree, and it will be more susceptible to insect and disease problems.

Protect Your Trees

To protect against the threat of salt damage, but also make sure your sidewalks and driveways are safe, consider using de-icing alternatives such as sand or cat litter instead. Though these alternatives are not able to melt the ice, they are a great way to increase traction, making the surface less slippery without hurting your trees.

If you choose to continue to use a melting agent, consider using a pet-friendly version sparingly. Most pet-friendly ice melts are made from magnesium chloride, which is slightly safer for plants. However, large portions will still do harm. This is why it is important to only use as much ice melt as necessary, which is often far less than people assume.

When the ground gets slippery, protect your family and your trees by taking extra caution when using ice melting agents or salt-free alternatives. If you notice your trees are showing signs of salt damage, contact the experts at Ivan’s Tree Service. Don’t risk the salt-weakened or dead branches hurting you family or property. Call your local arborists to schedule your tree branch removals today.