Snow Management
With winter nearly (officially) upon us, many may soon be curious about
what their winter garden practices are doing to their yards, landscapes, and gardens. After all, the threat of dragging out the snowplows, snow shovels, and ice melt always looms. So, what should be considered when using them to minimize damage to your landscapes?
Regarding snowplows, these tools are a valuable asset that can transform a three-hour task into a twenty-minute breeze, handling the never-ending stretches of driveways, walkways, patios, stoops, and sidewalks. However, operating this machinery correctly is crucial to avoid any landscape complications. This starts with understanding where the snow is being pushed, putting you in control of your landscape's well-being.
Remember, while a car's tires may appreciate the driveway being cleared, the juniper at the driveway's edge will not appreciate being buried under ice for three weeks. Evergreens photosynthesize year-round since they do not lose their leaves. As such, they need to see the sun to continue this process. While many junipers are immune to many disease issues, a large list of plant materials will not react well to moist extremities (prolonged exposure to wet conditions) for a prolonged period. Regardless of season, moisture fosters disease. Bear this in mind when piling snow, and pay special attention to areas that can use the slow-dripping water but won't react negatively to it.
It's important to remember that not all plants are resilient, and ice can be heavy. Just as you wouldn't want to be buried under 300 lbs. of ice, your plants likely wouldn't either. Understanding their vulnerability can guide your actions and help you protect your greenery.
Using snow shovels, follow these same principles. Always aim to achieve the task at hand while protecting landscapes. Use the shovels' ergonomics to make them work for you. Ultimately, this will be easier on the body and enable better tool control, preventing slip-ups that can rip up lawns and plants or cause injury.
A traditional home-use ice melt containing the active ingredient calcium chloride will typically be safe for home landscapes, but with the strong caveat that it needs to be used correctly and as labeled. Ensure ice melt stays within the confines of concrete surfaces and is never applied excessively. When these products are over-applied, leaching from the concrete occurs, moving the product into grass, landscapes, vegetable gardens, and more. This results in damaged soil, burned plant roots, and polluted waterways.
Finally, remember to look up! Large trees have the potential for heavy falling snow and ice, if not the limbs themselves. While right now is not the best time of year to prune trees, dead limbs can be removed at any time of the year, with selective pruning for weight management to recommence in the spring. Doing so will protect you and any plant material below from a harmful impact blow.
These tips will help you and your plants make it through the winter unscathed.
by Anthony Reardon, Horticulture Small Farms Agent, 2024
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