Freezer Burn

Dear Farm,
I have cement sidewalks in front of my house with garden on one side and grass on the other. What is the safest thing I can use to melt ice in the winter? I'm worried I'm going to kill the plants.

Jim in Allentown PA

Dear Jim,
Great question! Melting ice is quite the conundrum. Here are a few tips to help increase the safety of pedestrians while decreasing the risk to your plants:

An Ounce of Prevention. Pre-treating your sidewalks when a winter storm is imminent is a great way to lower the needed amount of any deicer. Sprinkling a small even amount of your chosen deicer helps prevent any ice from forming in the first place. If you're just treating a small area, like your front steps, try weighting down a tarp just as the storm starts. Once it's over, simply brush off and remove the tarp and presto-no ice, no chemicals, no worries!

Pick Your Poison. There are many different brands of deicer out there. The most common chemicals are Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium (salt) and Potassium Chloride. Each has its own list of pros and cons. The good folks at The University of Maryland Cooperative Extension office have a very nice article, including a great comparison chart. (It can be found here.) They warn that salt and calcium chloride are both not recommended for newly poured concrete, brick or stone surfaces. They also warn that using fertilizer pellets may seem like a fine idea, but creates polluted runoff that is extremely hazardous for the environment.

Easy On the Hard Stuff. Contrary to the beliefs of many a fanatical salt or Qik Joe sprinkler, a little goes a long way. Too much deicer and your chances of runoff damaging your plants increases dramatically. It can also cost you more than grass seed- many deicers are corrosive and can cause damage to your car, your siding, and they can even take years off the life of your sidewalk. Yikes! Use just enough deicer to create a light, even coating over the icy area.

Just Add Water! Deicers really do their magic much more efficiently in a liquid state. For faster melting, sprinkle your deicer, then dust off your watering can, fill it with some warm water, and pour a bit on the ice. Don't go overboard-just enough to moisten the pellets so they can do their thing.

Need Some Instant Grip? Sand, cinders and kitty litter (regular non-clumping) all work great to minimize slippage while you wait for warmer weather.

If you have a question for the farm, please send it to: wegrowveggies@msn.com with Ask The Farm in the subject line.