Winter in the DC metro area, Maryland, and Northern Virginia brings cold snaps, icy mornings, and of course lots of road salt. While salt and de-icing products help keep our sidewalks and driveways safe, they can quietly cause significant stress to your trees. Add in the fact that most homeowners stop watering entirely during winter, and your landscape could be dealing with a double hit of damage before spring even arrives.

At Titan Tree Care, we want to help you protect your trees all year long. Here’s what homeowners should know about winter salt exposure and cold-season tree hydration and how a little attention now can save you from big problems later.

How Road Salt and De-Icers Harm Trees

When snow or ice hits, many of us reach for rock salt or de-icing products. Unfortunately, these materials don’t stay neatly on the pavement. Meltwater carries salt into nearby soil, where it can be absorbed by tree roots.

Common signs of salt damage include:

• Browning or scorched-looking needles on evergreens
• Early bud drop
• Dieback in spring
• Patchy, stunted new growth
• White, crusty salt buildup near soil line

Trees closest to roads, driveways, and sidewalks are the most vulnerable, especially young trees or species that are naturally salt-sensitive.

Why salt is so stressful for trees

Salt disrupts the tree’s ability to take up water, dries out roots, and introduces damaging ions (like sodium and chloride) into plant tissue. Over time, this can weaken the tree’s structure, reduce growth, and make it more susceptible to pests and diseases.

How to Protect Your Trees from Salt Exposure

You don’t need to give up de-icers entirely, we just recommend to use them wisely:

1. Choose safer products when possible

Look for salt alternatives that are gentler on plants, such as:

• Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA)
• Sand for traction
• Pet-safe de-icers

2. Create physical barriers

A simple winter shield can make a big difference.

Such as:

• Burlap screens
• Snow fencing
• Strategic snow piles to divert runoff

3. Flush the soil when temperatures allow

On mild winter days or early spring, use a hose to soak the salt-affected area. This helps wash salts deeper into the soil, away from the sensitive root zone.

4. Get a professional assessment

If you notice browning, poor spring growth, or repeated salt exposure year after year, Titan Tree Care can evaluate the soil and recommend corrective treatments.

Winter Watering: The Step Most Homeowners Skip

Even in winter, trees – especially evergreens – continue to lose moisture. Newly planted trees or those growing in compacted or exposed soils can suffer from winter drought, a major cause of dieback in spring.

Water when:

• Temperatures are above 40°F
• The soil is not frozen
• There’s been little rain or snow melt

This is especially important for:

• Newly planted trees (planted within the last 2–3 years)
• Evergreens such as arborvitae, pines, and hollies
• Trees planted near heat-retaining surfaces like roads and sidewalks

How much should you water?

Give trees a slow, deep soak of about 10–20 gallons for young trees. The goal is to keep moisture in the root zone without creating soggy soil.

Mulch helps, too

A 2–3″ layer of mulch around the base keeps moisture in and protects roots. Just avoid piling mulch against the trunk.

Our region swings between mild days, heavy rain, sudden freezes, and the occasional nor’easter. These fluctuations create stress for even mature, established trees.

Salt exposure + winter drought is a combination we treat often across the DC metro area, Maryland, and Northern Virginia—and both are preventable.

A little care now protects:

• Spring growth
• Long-term tree health
• Property safety
• Your overall landscaping investment

If you’re unsure how your trees are handling winter or want a professional evaluation, our ISA-Certified Arborists are here to help.