Snow removal may take time and effort, but it doesn't have to damage your landscape. Learn five ways to protect your yard when you remove snow.
1. Flag Before the Snow Falls
A lot of snow removal damage occurs at the edge areas — where lawn or garden beds abut roads, driveways, and sidewalks. This is because it is easy to rip up a strip of turf with a snowblower or plow if you aren't exactly sure where the edge is. Before the snow falls, install some tall flagging or snow poles along these margin areas. Use poles with reflectors on top if your removal service tends to come through when it is still dark out.
2. Clear Snow Storage Areas
The removed snow must go somewhere. It's best if it isn't mounded against shrubs and trees or in a single big pile on your lawn, since this can damage the plants. Piling against the house is also a bad idea, because water may leak inside once the snow mound begins to melt. Clear an area, such as the corner of a driveway or a patio that isn't used in winter, specifically for snow. If you don't have a single area to pile the snow, then opt to spread it out as evenly as possible along the margins of the plowed part of your landscaping.
3. Use the Right Equipment
Metal-edged snow plows or even shovel blades will tear up masonry walkways. They can even cause damage to concrete and asphalt as they scrape over the surface. Choose snow shovels with a rubber guard on the blade, and avoid scraping all the way down to the paving. If you bring in a plow service, make sure they have a rubber or urethane coating on the base of the blade in order to protect your paving and landscaping.
4. Protect Tree Trunks
Trees planted along the road can be at the greatest risk. A wayward plow blade can cut into a trunk, snowblowers can cake trunks with ice, and road salts can spray onto the bark and cause damage. Place a plastic trunk guard around the trunks of these trees to protect them from winter snow removal issues. You must remove the guards in the spring once tree growth resumes.
5. Minimize Salt Use
Use as little salt or chemical ice melt as possible in areas where the melt water will flow directly into your landscaping. These products can weaken or even kill landscaping plants, include lawn grass. If you must use them for safety reasons, sweep up the excess promptly once the ice has melted so you can minimize the amount of the ice melt entering the soil.
Contact a snow removal service for more help with landscape-friendly snow cleanup.
