Protect Your Landscaping from Snow Removal

Landscaping and snow removal don’t always work well together. In fact, when the snow starts flying, your landscaping can suffer. Unfortunately, most property owners don’t realize the damage until it’s too late. And damage from snow can occur in many ways. Most commonly, damage to your landscaping occurs from improperly removing the snow from your property. Be sure you know everything there is to know to keep your landscaping safe this winter.

How to Protect Your Landscaping during Snow Removal

Despite our best efforts, we can’t make the snow disappear. Our only options are to melt it or move it! In spite of the inevitable snow, protecting your landscaping is still possible.

Protect Your Plants and Shrubbery

• Save your shrubbery! When possible, don’t pile the snow on shrubs. This can damage branches and make them harder to grow during the spring. If needed, wrap your most vulnerable plants with burlap.
• Plan your landscaping wisely. When planting trees, shrubs, and landscaping beds, keep the winter in mind. Snowplowing can push unwanted snow and salt onto your flower beds and trees. Consequently, these plants won’t grow as well in the spring. If salt damage can’t be avoided, consider planting salt-tolerant plants in those areas.
• If ice accumulates on your branches, let nature do its work. In most cases, trees will be able to recover once the ice melts – even if the branches look bent! Moreover, attempting to remove the ice may cause more damage and breakage.

Save Your Lawn from Snow Piles

Generally, the snow covering your lawn adds a protective layer from harsh winter temperatures. In fact, the snow acts as an insulator from cold winds and prevents your grass from dying over the winter. On the other hand, too much snow isn’t good.

• Large piles of snow add stress to your grass and can cause problems to your lawn. Coupled with denser snow and longer melt times, these piles make your lawn prone to fungus issues in the spring. So when possible, try not to pile up snow in the same place. Of course, we know this isn’t always do-able. But when it is, directing snow to different locations of your property can help save your lawn once the snow melts.
• Fix lawn accidents right away. If a snowplow blade or shovel inadvertently tears up your grass, try to fix it as quickly as you can. Push the damaged grass back down and reassess come spring.
• Keep heavy vehicles off your lawn. Heavyweight can damage your lawn any time of year. Keeping heavy vehicles off your lawn will save you headaches when spring comes.

Protect your Hardscaping and Decks

• Mark your property with light-reflecting poles or sticks. When too much snow accumulates, it can be hard for snowplow drivers to see where the road ends and your property starts. By marking the edges of your driveway, parking lots, sidewalks, flower beds, etc., your landscaping and property are more protected.
• Clear snow quickly. When snow sits for long periods of time, it gets hard and icy. As a result, the snow is harder to remove and increases the risk of damage to decks and hardscaping.
• Skip the shovel and use a broom! For lighter snowfalls, a push broom is an easy way to remove snow from patios, pavers, and decks. Conversely, a shovel can be used but can get caught easily on deck screws and paver edges.

Call the Experts for Help

Sometimes your landscaping can become damaged from snow removal despite your best efforts to protect it. For instance, city plows can accidentally damage mailboxes or hit landscaping areas that weren’t visible under the snow. When this happens, it’s important to contact MnDOT with any city or state-related questions you may have.

On the other hand, if you’d like to prevent damage from happening to your landscaping this winter, give us a call! One of our snow removal specialists will be happy to answer any questions you may have so you can keep your property (and landscaping) safe this winter.