Snow removal and anti-icing are regular maintenance work for landscape gardeners. Here is the responsibility, the de-icing agents (salt, CMA, potassium formate), gravel near planting, salt damage to roadside plants and working environment in slippery and dark weather.
Introduction
Winter services — snow clearance and de-icing — are a fixed part of maintenance work for landscape gardeners: churchyards, residential areas, institutions, car parks, and pavements must be kept passable throughout winter. It places demands on the choice of de-icing agent, on consideration for plants standing along the areas, and on safety when working in darkness, cold, and slippery conditions.
Responsibility — property owner and municipality
The responsibility for clearing and gritting rests with the property owner for private pavements and access areas, while the municipality is responsible for public roads and paths it operates. The rules are in the public roads act and the private roads act, and the municipality can set out in a winter regulation what the property owner must do and within what timeframe.
- 01Duty to clear: walkways must be cleared of snow and gritted/salted so they are passable — typically as soon as possible after snowfall and within the timeframe the regulation specifies.
- 02Prioritisation: main traffic routes and stairs/access ways are cleared first; slippery stairs and ramps are the most dangerous points.
- 03Documentation: an operational agreement should describe when and how the operator is called out, and who has the responsibility — so the responsibility is clear in case of a slide accident.
Drying agents
De-icing agents lower the freezing point of water, so ice and snow melt. The choice is a balance of price, operating temperature, corrosion and consideration for plants and environment:
| Drying agent | Effect | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Road salt (NaCl) | Cheap; works well down to approx. −8 to −10 °C | Damages nearby plants and soil, corrodes — dose accurately |
| Calciummagnesiumacetate (CMA) | Works at lower temperature, less corrosive | More expensive; more gentle on plants and metal |
| Potassium formate / potassium acetate | Works at low temperature, mild | Used where corrosion/plants are critical; expensive |
| Gravel / sand | Gives friction — doesn't melt the ice | Gently, but must be swept up in spring |
Operating temperatures are orders of magnitude — salt loses effect in hard frost, where more cold-efficient agents or pure friction grit are used. Avoid overdosing: more salt than necessary does not melt better, but burdens plants, soil, and groundwater. Look up specific doses and operating limits in the Road Directorate's winter service manual.
Gravel and sand — friction near vegetation
Near flowerbeds, hedges, trees and grass — and on areas draining to vegetation — friction materials (gravel, sand, granite chips) are used instead of salt because they don't damage plants. The disadvantage is that the material must be swept up and removed in spring, and that it can get stuck in wells and grilles (sand traps help here). On stairs and ramps, sharp-edged gravel provides the best grip.
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