It’s wintertime, and that means ice on your trees is inevitable. While icicles may look charming and even decorative, they can be destructive and dangerous. That’s why it’s important to know what to do when your trees are covered in ice. Should you remove the ice, or should you not? Keep reading to find out.
Why is Ice on Your Trees Dangerous?
Ice can be the most dangerous of all winter hazards. When ice covers your tree, it adds extra weight to the plant. This extra weight can cause branches to break, fall, and cause damage to anything and anyone in their path. It can also cause extensive damage to the tree itself which may lead to the tree having to be removed.
Removing Ice From Trees
What to do:
Evaluate the Situation
Before doing anything, evaluate the entire situation from a safe distance. Is the ice-covered tree touching or near any power lines? Are there any broken branches or branches hanging from the tree? Is any part of the tree blocking a roadway, walkway, or driveway? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s best to hold off on removing any ice from the tree on your own and instead call an arborist to remove the ice for you.
Take Care of Smaller Trees
If you’ve determined that there’s no safety risk, you can carefully work on removing ice from smaller trees. You can also prune out broken branches as well as pick up any fallen debris. Be sure that you wear some sort of protection when working with a snow-covered tree.
Wait it Out
The best thing you can do is wait for the ice to melt. Healthy tree limbs are surprisingly flexible, and many of them will return to normal health after the ice has cleared. If parts of your tree become damaged, an arborist can help prune damaged tree limbs after the ice has melted.
What Not to do:
Shake the Tree
Shaking or hitting an ice-covered tree is dangerous. It can further damage the tree and put you in danger. Resist the temptation to remove ice from a tree this way.
Spray the Tree with Water
Spraying your tree with water will only add to the amount of ice on your tree. That will make the problem worse and make your tree more susceptible to damage.
Using Ice Melt
Ice melt and salt contain chemicals that weren’t meant to come in contact with your plants. Putting these chemicals on your tree can cause extensive damage and even the death of your tree.
Want Help with Your Trees?
Hagan & Sons is here for all of your tree needs this winter. From Eldersburg, MD tree removal to Columbia, MD tree maintenance, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more.
