Reducing Salt Damage to Plants and Grass
As we all know, in many parts of the country-rock salt is used to melt ice effectively. However, when this product meets with your lawn and plants, it will cause damage. Salt can dry out the roots of your lawn and result in dead strips. So, to avoid salt ruining your grass, our grass experts have put together a list of things you could do to reduce its damaging effects.
Install a Physical Barrier
You can use lawn covers like plastic, burlap sacks, or some snow fencing to prevent most of the deicing salt from reaching and ruining your grass and soil.
Shovel Fresh Snow
Shovel away fresh snow before it freezes up. That will reduce the amount of salt required to keep your driveway snow-free. Avoid shoveling all the snow into a single spot to limit the amount of salt getting on your lawn.
Use Road Salt Sparingly
If you inevitably need to spread rock salt, use the suggested amounts advised on the bag to avoid excess getting on your landscaping areas.
Use Alternatives
Kitty litter and sand are good alternatives to try on your slippery surfaces. You can also use a deicing agent safe for landscape use – contact Secure Lawn for expert recommendations.
Road salt will invade your landscapes and saturate the soil, which will keep grass from growing for years. Besides your lawn, other plants will be affected. You will see tip dieback and scorched leaf margins in established shrubs. In the worst-case scenario, young plants will die due to toxic chloride levels. With these tips, you can avoid health problems to your lawn and plants. Other symptoms of salt damage include browning of conifer needles, leaf margin scorch, premature fall color, stunted growth, twig, or dieback.
Need help fertilizing or reseeding your lawn after salt damage? Call Secure Lawn at 615-893-8455 or visit our website to learn more about our lawn services in Tennessee.
