Snow Removal and Trees: Let a Certified Arborist Help!

Mindful Winter Tree Care Protects Your Leafy Friends in Kansas City

There’s a special kind of magic in waking up on a wintry morning to discover a blanket of sparkling snow on the ground. But that snow isn’t quite so magical if you’re a sugar maple sapling or oak seedling - and it may not be magical for the biggest, oldest trees, either.

The weight of snow and ice build-up can cause damage to your trees over time, particularly on weak limbs or on smaller trees. Property owners may want to head outside and remove snow before it becomes overpowering or downright dangerous. In Kansas City, this chore could happen frequently. Here’s how you can determine whether it’s necessary and how to accomplish the task.

When Snow Removal Becomes a Necessary Part of Tree Care

After the snowfall is complete, head outside to check on your trees and shrubs. A quick visual evaluation will help you determine whether you need to interfere with Mother Nature’s artwork.

For smaller trees and larger shrubs, note whether the branches are bowing under the weight of the snow. If so, you’ll want to attempt or remove the bulk of it to prevent breakage.

For larger trees with branches that are overhanging a structure from the weight of the snow, you’ll want to contact a tree arborist near you to determine what to do to prevent property damage or injury. Generally, this isn’t a task you should take on yourself. Leave winter tree climbing and limb evaluation to the experts.

Proper Snow Removal Technique

If you decide it’s best to remove some snow from your trees, you’ll need to gather the tools the job requires. Luckily, the tools tend to be some that you already own, like a broom or a handheld leaf blower, and your two hands.

For light, fluffy snow, you can generally get the job done by gently shaking the tree trunk (of smaller trees). Just watch out for the snow that’ll fall all around you in the process. You might also use your leaf blower for more stubborn areas.

A broom or even a lightweight shovel can be useful for heavier snow. Use them in upward, sweeping motions - not downward - to remove snow. If there are areas of snow that won’t brush off easily, don’t keep trying. Your persistence could be rewarded in tree damage.

Sometimes it can be hard to remove stubborn snow from your trees, and in those cases, its best to call a tree arborist near you to help out.

What If Limbs Break?

If snow and ice got too heavy for your tree, and limbs have fallen to the ground, it’s worthwhile calling a certified arborist to evaluate the damage and the remaining structure of your tree, especially if the limbs were significant ones.

Yes, even older, established trees that were generally healthy before winter can lose big limbs, especially if any were just starting to become diseased in late summer or early fall. A tree care expert can help you determine whether it’s safe to keep the rest of your tree.

Snow Plows and Trees Don’t Mix!

Even if your trees are far enough back that the plow can’t touch them, the snow banks they form can. And that means you still have a bit to worry about.

Snow banks against your trees, pushed there from the roadway, are full of de-icing chemicals, and as the snow melts at the base of your tree, it could poison your leafy friend and kill the grass and other plants around it, too. Young trees are at higher risk of salt damage, but larger trees also can suffer if the concentration of de-icer is high enough.

Snow mounds around your trees can also turn into big ice blocks. Snow melts a little, and refreezes, turning into heavy walls that can pull down branches stuck within them.

In these cases, you’ll want to break up the snow banks caused by plowing, especially those that gather around your younger trees. As the temperatures warm up in the spring, start watering your trees to help dilute the chemicals from the deicer and flush them away from your trees.

Need Help with Kansas City Tree Care This Winter? Call Arb Tech!

Anytime you need help ensuring the health of the trees on your property, call Arb Tech, Kansas City’s tree care experts. We’ll send out a certified arborist to take care of your trees at your home or commercial property anywhere in the metro area, including Lee’s Summit, Prairie Village, Overland Park, and Parkville.

Call Arb Tech today, or request an appointment through our website.