Keep Landscapes Healthy For Spring

Following snowstorms, conventional wisdom suggests that landscape maintenance professionals should physically remove the snow from trees and shrubs around their clients' homes. But experts say that doing so can actually do more harm than good, especially if the snow is heavily packed.

Experts advise to let the snow melt rather than to remove it. If a yard is full of shrubs and trees with broken limbs, landscapers should make clean cuts to the limbs as soon as possible. It is also important to remove fallen debris and limbs from the base of healthy plants. By doing this simple clean up, the contractor can help keep away insects and disease. Debris can create a perfect environment for insects to breed and disease to spread.

Remove Salt To Lessen Landscape Damage The salt used to melt snow draws water away from the root systems of trees, shrubs and grass. As a result, the grass near a street or driveway may yellow and become stunted. Trees and shrubs may also yellow and show brown leaf symptoms. Evergreen trees are especially sensitive to salt. To remove harmful salt residue, experts advise flushing affected areas with plenty of water.