Salt & Deicers Not Beneficial To Trees

When winter snow and ice begin to fall, so does the salt… on driveways, sidewalks, and streets to aid in melting away potential hazards. Keeping surroundings safe during the winter months is important, but salt can be a serious threat to trees when used without caution.

“Excessive exposure to salt can cause widespread damage to your trees, leading to permanent decline and sometimes death,” said Jim Skiera, executive director of The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). “The problem with salt damage is that it might not show up on your trees until summer, when deicing salt is the last culprit you would suspect.”

To minimize the damage done to trees by deicing salts, certified arborists at ISA offer the following tips:

1. Use less salt. Mix deicing salt with abrasives such as sand, cinders and ash, or use alternatives such as calcium magnesium acetate and calcium chloride.

2. Protect your trees from salt trucks on the street. If possible, set up barriers between the street and your trees to keep salt spray from hitting tree trunks.

3. Plant salt-resistant trees. Trees such as the sycamore maple, white spruce, willow, and birch tend to be more salt-resistant than other species. How well they fare varies from climate to climate across the country.

4. Improve soil drainage. Add organic matter to your soil to help filter salt deposits.

You can also keep your trees healthy by taking care of their basic needs. Other tips that will help combat the damage done by deicing salt include:

*Irrigate to flush the salts from the soils in spring.

*Mulch sufficiently to reduce water loss.

*Control pest infestations and destructive tree diseases.

If you feel your trees may be susceptible to salt damage, contact an ISA certified arborist in your area.

Prime Time For Pruning

Before snow, ice, and frigid temperatures arrive, winter offers the perfect conditions for pruning most nonflowering trees.

In winter, trees go into their dormant season. Cooler weather causes leaves to fall to the ground, making the tree’s branch structures easier to see. With trees free from leaves, it is the ideal situation to spot broken or damaged branches that could easily snap under the pressure of snow and ice in the winter months.

Deciding what and where to prune involves an understanding of basic tree biology, sharp tools, and an artful eye. Where you make the cut is as important as knowing what to remove. There are a few simple principles to understand before you prune:

*Always have a purpose in mind before you cut. Removing dead or diseased wood, providing clearance, or improving structure are most common.

*Proper technique is essential. Poor pruning technique can cause long-term damage. Learn how to make proper cuts.

*Small cuts do less damage to the tree than large cuts. Unlike people, tree wounds do not heal, they close. Smaller cuts close quicker.

*Make cuts just outside the branch collar for quick wound closure.

*Avoid leaving stubs.

*Keep tools sharp and clean.

“Proper pruning can be an important part of tree health maintenance,” said Jim Skiera. “Just be aware that each tree is different, and pruning at the wrong time or the wrong way can injure a tree or make it susceptible to disease.”

If pruning your tree cannot be done without using power equipment or leaving the ground, then it should be left to a professional arborist. Find more tips on how to prune trees or how to find a certified arborist at TreesAreGood.com.

The International Society of Arboriculture, headquartered in Champaign, Ill., is a nonprofit organization supporting tree care research and education around the world. As part of ISA’s dedication to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees, it offers the only internationally -recognized certification program in the industry. For more information on ISA and certified arborists, visit ISA-arbor.com.