Learn how to take care of ice-covered trees and shrubs.
Icicles may look picturesque hanging from your trees and shrubs, but they can cause quite a bit of lasting damage. Fortunately, there are small tasks you can do to protect your trees and shrubs from ice damage or help them recover after suffering minor damages. Read on to learn more about what you can do for ice-covered trees and shrubs, as well as the actions you should avoid that could create more problems.
Evaluate the Situation
If you notice your trees or shrubs are covered in ice, first inspect the situation. Inspect the ice from a safe distance so heavy ice does not fall off your tree and onto you. Make sure your tree is not near a power line because electricity can travel through the ice. If your tree is in contact with power lines, contact your utility company.
Tend to Damaged Trees
If your driveway or sidewalk is blocked by broken or hanging limbs, do not cut them yourself. Ice is dangerous, and even more so if you are using a power tool. If you have limbs that require trimming or pruning on your property, you can contact the experienced professionals at Scientific Plant Service. Take care of branches that are blocking or posing hazards to structures, cars, or pedestrians right away. However, if you can wait for the ice to melt off other broken limbs, you can then have arborists address split or broken limbs, a downed tree, or a jagged tree wound.
Take Care of Small Tasks
You can do a couple of small things yourself to take care of ice-covered trees and shrubs. You can clear away icy and broken branches from small trees and shrubs that you can reach safely from the ground. Stay clear of overhead ice and let it melt naturally, as attempting to remove it may cause the ice to fall on you.
What Not to Do
There are a few things you should not do to fix your ice-covered trees or shrubs.
- Do not shake branches to release ice or snow. Branches under heavy loads may fall when it’s freezing, and they are carrying a lot of weight.
- Do not use a broom or rake to knock off the ice or snow. Heavy, unpredictable loads on a weak tree limb can be dangerous to you and the tree.
- Do not spray your trees with water to wash the snow off; you will likely just create more ice.
- Do not salt your plants to melt ice. Road salt and de-icing products are fatal to tree and shrub tissue, and the chemical slush leftover will soak into the soil and damage the roots.
By being patient and trusting the experts to remove hazardous ice-covered tree limbs, you can soon have your trees and shrubs return to normal health.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborists specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a Lawn Care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia, including: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!