Will Ice Melt Kill Your Spring Garden?

Each year, millions of visitors are enchanted by the beautiful gardens at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. The gardens are open to the public rain, sun, snow, or ice. One of the most popular times for visitors is during the frigid winter months when crowds gather to enjoy the famous Christmas lights. The Temple Square grounds crew works tirelessly to ensure its path network stays free of ice and snow.

A few years ago, Temple Square started using Redmond Ice Slicer: Nature’s Blend to keep its 35 acres of walkways clear in the cold winter months. After switching, the Temple Square grounds crew was surprised to discover some wonderful and unexpected benefits:

• No more dead grass to replace each spring
• No more dead flowers from salt burn
• Faster and longer-lasting ice melting power to help visitors have a safer experience
• Less product is needed to keep walkways clear

Can Ice Melt Be Tough on Winter Ice and Gentle on Spring Plants?

The grounds crew at Temple Square discovered what thousands of customers are discovering: Nature’s Blend is an all-natural ice melt that’s actually helpful for spring landscaping. Let’s explore the environmental dangers of some ice melts and why Redmond Ice Slicer: Nature’s Blend’s 60+ trace minerals make it superior at melting ice and snow without endangering your garden. 

The Problem With Most Ice Melt

Ice melt works by lowering the freezing point of water. As the ice melt dissolves, it mixes with the snow and ice, forming a solution that eventually runs off into your grass, landscaping, and soil. Most rock salt ice melts add liquid chlorides, dyes, and sometimes urea. These additives can create high concentrations in the soil that interfere with plants’ ability to absorb nutrients.

Nature’s Perfect Recipe for Melting Ice and Snow

Nature’s Blend is different because it contains no added chemicals or dyes. It’s mined from a Jurassic Era mineral deposit in central Utah. The Earth spent 200 million years giving Nature’s Blend over 60 naturally occurring minerals and a signature reddish hue—it simply doesn’t need the harsh additives of other ice melt products. When used in the correct amounts, Nature’s Blend provides soil-enriching minerals that plants love.

Can Nature’s Blend Actually Help My Garden?

Did you know that the same mineral deposit that brings you Nature’s Blend supplies a wide range of amendments for your garden? Nature’s Blend contains 60+ trace minerals that can improve soil fertility. You can learn more about what nutrients your spring garden needs on the Redmond Agriculture website.  

 Less Is More With Nature’s Blend

When spreading ice melt, you may think that more is better. But over-applying doesn’t melt ice any faster and can adversely affect your landscaping.

Here are some tips:

• Sprinkle a light application before a storm hits to help prevent ice from bonding with your pavement.

• If there are a lot of granules left on your pavement after the ice and snow have melted, it’s an indication that you can use less next time. 

A Choice You Can Feel Good About

Nature’s Blend is an OMRI-listed organic product and contains no added chemicals or dyes. It has superior melting power when used as directed, and its runoff nourishes soil rather than harming it. Nature’s Blend is an all-natural choice you can feel good about this winter.

Sources:

Redmond Agriculture: What Nutrients Do Plants Need

Ice Slicer: What’s Leaching From Your Deicer?

Ice Slicer: Ice Slicer: Environmental Impact