This week’s episode of the Good Growing Podcast is all about snow and ice. Ken and Chris discuss how to deal with snow and ice on trees and shrubs, problems to avoid with rock salt, tips for using deicers, and much more. Tune in to the Good Growing Podcast to learn more about how to protect your plants from the winter weather. Thank you for listening!

Skip to what you want to know:

0:34 Hey Ken! Winter has finally arrived in Illinois. Are we ready for the upcoming cold snap?
1:51 How do we handle ice and snow weighing down tree limbs?
4:35 What trees are better adapted to dealing with ice and snow? Needled evergreens vs. deciduous.
6:07 Talking how branch angles influence the strength of limbs. What branch angle is best?
8:02 Protecting columnar, upright trees and shrubs.
9:20 Where is the best spot to place piles of shoveled/plowed snow?
11:48 The pitfall of shoveling salt-laden snow into one spot.
12:11 Talking deicing salts. What are they and how it can damage plants.
13:35 Salt’s effect on soils.
15:58 Salt spray and how plants near roads are often affected.
17:58 Discussion of salt tolerant plant lists.
19:22 Alternative to rock salt (sodium chloride).
24:20 Tips on using deicing salts.
27:15 The benefits of snow.
31:00 Thank you’s, goodbye, and coming up next week.

Salt Tolerant Plant List https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0145/8808/4272/files/A3877.pdf

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu
Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu 


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Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.

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