From Lisa Johnson, Dane County UW-Extension horticulture educator:
Trees and shrubs: Be careful about using deicing salts on your driveway or sidewalk if plants are nearby. Evergreens in particular can be damaged or killed by salt pellets tossed up by snowblowers or snow shovels. Excess sodium in the soil leads to reduced water infiltration and soil compaction, among other things. After years of salt build-up in the soil, plants can be stunted or die as well. Some symptoms of damage include dead twigs (and dead needles on evergreens), leaves with brown margins, dead buds and formation of ‘brooms’ (tight clusters of short twigs) on branch ends or along branches and reduced leaf size. If possible, in areas near plants, do not use deicing salt alone, but mix it with sand or use an alternative product that is not pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Laura Jull of the UW-Madison horticulture department wrote a detailed publication on the effects of salt on woody plants and also recommends some salt tolerant species for places where deicing salts are needed for winter pedestrian safety. You can find the free printable article at http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Search.aspx?k=deicing.
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has been identified in the Madison WI area. This tree pest attacks ash trees and kills them within one to four years. EAB does not attack mountain ash, which are not true ash trees. If you have ash trees and are concerned about whether to treat your tree or remove it, you can visit the Dane County Tree Board website at www.treeboard.org/ for more information or call the Dane County Extension office at 608-224-3715 with questions.
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