Keep Your Landscape And Plants Safe From Ice Melt Products

Ice melts operate by reducing the freezing point of water, which helps to loosen and remove snow and ice. Ice melts used carelessly can harm our landscape and the ecosystem. Much salt-based ice melt has the potential to harm lawns and gardens. 
Some can corrode the metal on cars and aluminum siding, causing harm to the concrete. Using these compounds with caution and consideration saves money as well as our lawns and landscapes. To safeguard our landscape and plants, we tend to go for homemade snow melt solutions also. Even though they are safer than salt but are not effective.

Types Of Ice Melters And Their Cons

Sodium chloride, or common salt, is one of the cheapest and most often used deicers. It comes in three forms: rock salt, table salt, and ice cream salt. If misused, it is the most harmful to nearby plants. The salt hardens into a white powder that can be tracked into the house, causing damage to flooring and carpets. It can also be harmful to pets that consume the salt while cleaning their paws and youngsters who come into touch with it while playing.

On evergreens, salt damage manifests itself over time as dead needles. It shows as dead spots on lawns, mainly in low areas where water from the street or driveway drains. When the leaves emerge in the spring, deciduous plants may exhibit twig dieback or tan-brown leaf margins. 

Sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride are all used in many products. They function in a wide range of temperatures and are less harmful to nearby plants than rock salt. Concrete will be damaged, and these items will be tracked into the house, posing a risk to children and pets. 

Pet Safe Ice Melt

Urea is a typical fertilizer component that provides nitrogen to plants. It’s an ice melt that is pet-friendly and will not damage the infrastructure, unlike chlorides.

As responsible homeowners, we all want to have a product that will remove snow while keeping our concrete, plants, and pets safe. Hence, instead of a chloride-based product choose a salt-free, natural ice melt that is non-corrosive and protects you from snow accumulation for up to 72 hours. It is safer than hazardous chemicals and more effective than homemade snow melts.

Tips To Keep Your Landscape And Plants Safe From Ice Melt Products

Gaia Enterprises Inc. delivers 100% pet-safe and environmentally friendly winter products. Safe Paw, our flagship product, is the #1 selling pet-safe ice melt that does not harm pets, safe if ingested, and safe on all types of concrete.

• Never throw shoveled snow or ice from treated areas onto planted areas.

• Start with a small amount of ice melt and add more only after it has completely dissolved. 

• Spread a tiny amount of your deicer of choice on the surface you wish to keep ice-free as soon as it starts to snow or sleet (or even a bit ahead of time if you know it’ll happen). 

• In the morning, don’t rush out the door. Because black ice is difficult to see, protect your head and wrists if you begin to slip.

Conclusion

Ice melting products are part of the essential kit for many of us, in addition to shovels and snow throwers, for winter weather preparedness; yet, these chemicals can harm landscaping plants. However, with proper choice, application, and follow-up techniques, you may reduce or eliminate the harm done to your landscape as you face winter’s challenges.

Other Ice Melt Products