Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

I've been keeping a circular area of my backyard clear of snow under a
maple tree by using a snow blower to concentrate the snow closer to the
trunk of the tree. I've probably gone overboard doing it. The pile is
roughly 4 feet in radius and about 5 feet high. Now because this is
snowblower-blown snow, it becomes more dense when it's piled up, so this
is becoming quite a heavy and dense pack of snow. The tree is about 18
- 20 inches diameter at the base, and about 12" diameter at the level
where the snow is currently piled up. This is a sugar maple, if that
matters, and (naturally) there is no road salt or other chemicals in the
snow.

The canopy of this tree (and hence it's roots) extends far beyond where
the snow has been piled up, so I don't think that oxygen availability
will be an issue.

I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark of the
tree - perhaps not for the next month or so, but come april if the snow
pack is still in contact with the trunk. This tree doesn't really leaf
out until early may, if that's a factor.

Along the same lines, there are 3 shade-master locusts in the circular
boulevard of our court. Their trunks are 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
The circle is 50 ft diameter and is currently covered with an average of
about 2 feet of snow-blower-blown snow. So these trees also have snow
packed around their trunks. There is no salt used on our court - only
sand, and only occassionally.

So my question about snow packed around tree trunks applies to those
trees as well.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Feb 5, 10:38*pm, Lawn Guy wrote:
I've been keeping a circular area of my backyard clear of snow under a
maple tree by using a snow blower to concentrate the snow closer to the
trunk of the tree. *I've probably gone overboard doing it. *The pile is
roughly 4 feet in radius and about 5 feet high. *Now because this is
snowblower-blown snow, it becomes more dense when it's piled up, so this
is becoming quite a heavy and dense pack of snow. *The tree is about 18
- 20 inches diameter at the base, and about 12" diameter at the level
where the snow is currently piled up. *This is a sugar maple, if that
matters, and (naturally) there is no road salt or other chemicals in the
snow.

The canopy of this tree (and hence it's roots) extends far beyond where
the snow has been piled up, so I don't think that oxygen availability
will be an issue.

I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark of the
tree - perhaps not for the next month or so, but come april if the snow
pack is still in contact with the trunk. *This tree doesn't really leaf
out until early may, if that's a factor.

Along the same lines, there are 3 shade-master locusts in the circular
boulevard of our court. *Their trunks are 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
The circle is 50 ft diameter and is currently covered with an average of
about 2 feet of snow-blower-blown snow. *So these trees also have snow
packed around their trunks. *There is no salt used on our court - only
sand, and only occassionally.

So my question about snow packed around tree trunks applies to those
trees as well.

All areas under trees are supposed to have the snow cleared in a
spiral pattern. I think it's code.

R

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

frag wrote:

I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark
of the tree

Why are you doing this?

non-answer noted.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

RicodJour wrote in
:

On Feb 5, 10:38*pm, Lawn Guy wrote:
I've been keeping a circular area of my backyard clear of snow under
a maple tree by using a snow blower to concentrate the snow closer to
the trunk of the tree. *I've probably gone overboard doing it. *The
pile
is
roughly 4 feet in radius and about 5 feet high. *Now because this is
snowblower-blown snow, it becomes more dense when it's piled up, so
this is becoming quite a heavy and dense pack of snow. *The tree is
about 18 - 20 inches diameter at the base, and about 12" diameter at
the level where the snow is currently piled up. *This is a sugar
maple, if that matters, and (naturally) there is no road salt or
other chemicals in the snow.

The canopy of this tree (and hence it's roots) extends far beyond
where the snow has been piled up, so I don't think that oxygen
availability will be an issue.

I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark of the
tree - perhaps not for the next month or so, but come april if the
snow pack is still in contact with the trunk. *This tree doesn't
really leaf out until early may, if that's a factor.

Along the same lines, there are 3 shade-master locusts in the
circular boulevard of our court. *Their trunks are 3 to 4 inches in
diameter. The circle is 50 ft diameter and is currently covered with
an average of about 2 feet of snow-blower-blown snow. *So these trees
also have snow packed around their trunks. *There is no salt used on
our court - only sand, and only occassionally.

So my question about snow packed around tree trunks applies to those
trees as well.

All areas under trees are supposed to have the snow cleared in a
spiral pattern. I think it's code.

R

It is code. I was certified and licensed through the Sally Struthers "Do
you wanna make more money?" matchbook cover school of landscape
inspection. Came with a free rubber signature stamp - Professional
Inspector of Trees and Arbors [note acronym].

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On 2/6/2011 8:49 AM, Lawn Guy wrote:
frag wrote:

I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark
of the tree

Why are you doing this?

non-answer noted.

Do you mean to say that you love your snow blower so much that you do it
just for fun? Come on, admit it.

I used to make a path around the house for place for the dog to run and
crap. Then I also made one so I could use the back door and the cellar
door. Actually made a circle for the dog a few weeks ago, moved south
and don't have to do it very often.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Sun, 06 Feb 2011 08:49:58 -0500, Lawn Guy wrote:

frag wrote:

I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark
of the tree

Why are you doing this?

non-answer noted.

The reason I'd have to do that is to clear a spot for the dogs to
****/crap.
Most likely pile the snow near a tree. In fact I did just that but
not with a snow blower.
Still not enough room for the dogs, but I got tired.
I'll be piling more snow around that tree soon.
You clear 2 feet of snow from 4' x 8' foot area, you get 4 feet of
snow on a different 4' x 8' area.
Easy to bury a tree trunk.
I don't worry about the tree. They get buried by snow all the time
and come out fine.

--Vic

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Feb 6, 9:01*am, Red Green wrote:
RicodJour wrote innews:65d5b635-4240-4f14-

All areas under trees are supposed to have the snow cleared in a
spiral pattern. *I think it's code.

It is code. I was certified and licensed through the Sally Struthers "Do
you wanna make more money?" matchbook cover school of landscape
inspection. Came with a free rubber signature stamp - Professional
Inspector of Trees and Arbors [note acronym].

Those are some serious creds, Red. Red creds...I like the sound of
it.

I always wanted to get accredited, but I was working and could never
find the hour necessary to study, take the test and make the
continuing payments to the school. You're a lucky man.

R

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Feb 6, 9:51*am, Tony Miklos wrote:

I used to make a path around the house for place for the dog to run and
crap.

Your dog can run and crap? Wow. Mine just kind of squats there.

R

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

RicodJour wrote in news:d48aaa06-1b8a-49a1-84fd-
:

On Feb 6, 9:01*am, Red Green wrote:
RicodJour wrote innews:65d5b635-4240-4f14-

All areas under trees are supposed to have the snow cleared in a
spiral pattern. *I think it's code.

It is code. I was certified and licensed through the Sally Struthers "Do
you wanna make more money?" matchbook cover school of landscape
inspection. Came with a free rubber signature stamp - Professional
Inspector of Trees and Arbors [note acronym].

Those are some serious creds, Red. Red creds...I like the sound of
it.

I always wanted to get accredited, but I was working and could never
find the hour necessary to study, take the test and make the
continuing payments to the school. You're a lucky man.

R


And!.... an official PITA.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 22:38:03 -0500, Lawn Guy wrote:


I'm wondering if this snow pack can cause any harm to the bark

Not if you wrapped the tree with brown Duct Tape.

Before the snow, of course.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:13:23 GMT, Red Green
wrote:

RicodJour wrote in news:d48aaa06-1b8a-49a1-84fd-
:

On Feb 6, 9:01*am, Red Green wrote:
RicodJour wrote innews:65d5b635-4240-4f14-

All areas under trees are supposed to have the snow cleared in a
spiral pattern. *I think it's code.

It is code. I was certified and licensed through the Sally Struthers "Do
you wanna make more money?" matchbook cover school of landscape
inspection. Came with a free rubber signature stamp - Professional
Inspector of Trees and Arbors [note acronym].

Those are some serious creds, Red. Red creds...I like the sound of
it.

I always wanted to get accredited, but I was working and could never
find the hour necessary to study, take the test and make the
continuing payments to the school. You're a lucky man.

R


And!.... an official PITA.

The good part is you can frame the diploma with duct tape, choice of
colors - of course.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On 2/6/2011 10:50 AM, RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 6, 9:51 am, Tony wrote:

I used to make a path around the house for place for the dog to run and
crap.

Your dog can run and crap? Wow. Mine just kind of squats there.

R

He was a special dog.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Feb 7, 3:18*pm, Tony Miklos wrote:
On 2/6/2011 10:50 AM, RicodJour wrote:

On Feb 6, 9:51 am, Tony *wrote:

I used to make a path around the house for place for the dog to run and
crap.

Your dog can run and crap? *Wow. *Mine just kind of squats there.

R

He was a special dog.

:( I note the past tense. Sorry, Tony.

R

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On 2/7/2011 3:58 PM, RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 7, 3:18 pm, Tony wrote:
On 2/6/2011 10:50 AM, RicodJour wrote:

On Feb 6, 9:51 am, Tony wrote:

I used to make a path around the house for place for the dog to run and
crap.

Your dog can run and crap? Wow. Mine just kind of squats there.

R

He was a special dog.

:( I note the past tense. Sorry, Tony.

R

No don't worry, I was just trying to think of a silly reply to the "run
and crap" because it made me laugh. As for the past tense, he went with
the ex and I was happy that way. Like my old neighbor said to me, "What
good is a dog that doesn't come when you call him?". Now I have a dog
that chose me, and most of the time she is very obedient.

Piling snow around tree trunks - good, bad, or neither?
 

On Feb 8, 12:47*am, Tony Miklos wrote:
On 2/7/2011 3:58 PM, RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 7, 3:18 pm, Tony *wrote:
On 2/6/2011 10:50 AM, RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 6, 9:51 am, Tony * *wrote:

I used to make a path around the house for place for the dog to run and
crap.

Your dog can run and crap? *Wow. *Mine just kind of squats there.

He was a special dog.

:( *I note the past tense. *Sorry, Tony.

No don't worry, I was just trying to think of a silly reply to the "run
and crap" because it made me laugh. *As for the past tense, he went with
the ex and I was happy that way. *Like my old neighbor said to me, "What
good is a dog that doesn't come when you call him?". *Now I have a dog
that chose me, and most of the time she is very obedient.

Well, it's all good then. Glad to hear it - though it was nice of you
to shovel a crap-lane for the pooch.

R