Ensuring that you protect your trees from the effects of salt damage is crucial to healthy trees in the spring and summer!
Winter snowstorms should be here in the area soon. When snow or ice falls, we know the drill – spread some salt on the driveway and roads so we don’t slip or skid when we drive. It is a quick fix that is designed to keep us safe. However, rock salt does have the potential to do some serious damage to our trees. Today, we’re going to discuss the symptoms of rock salt damage to trees along with some treatment tips, so that when the spring rolls around again your trees will be ready to bloom.
The Signs of Salt Damage
The signs of salt damage on trees vary between evergreens and deciduous trees. Needles on an evergreen that turn from a deep green to a pale green or yellow color is a classic sign of salt damage. Deciduous trees aren’t so obvious in their signs. When snow collects near a tree, the salt can seep into the roots and cause dry soil, bark discoloration, or canopy dryback. It is also worth noting that plenty of trees in the Northeast are tolerant of salt that can withstand damage pretty well. If you have white oak, red oak, Austrian pine, or Colorado spruce trees, you should expect them to withstand rock salt damage pretty well unless they are stressed from other kinds of damage such as disease, winter pests, or harmful insects.
Treatment Options
If you spread salt on your own driveway or walkways during a storm, take care to choose one with calcium chloride. This kind of salt is less harmful to plants than ones with sodium chloride. When the snow clears away, hose down your trees to rinse salt away from the trunk. Salt may still linger in the soil feeding your trees, however. An arborist can work with you to remediate and replace soil tainted with salt with fresh, organic matter in the subsequent spring.
Call Nelson Tree Specialist for Specialty Tree Services!
We are experts and want to work with you to provide the best care for your trees. After we’re done, your trees will be thriving and safe as they beautify your landscape. Contact us today for your free quote. We will respond in a timely manner. If you need us, we’re available for emergency services 24/7. No task is too much to ask.
Nelson Tree Specialist is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture, and they have dubbed us a certified arborist. We’re also an accredited business as declared by the Better Business Bureau, and highly reviewed on Angie’s List.
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