Garden -- de-icer

How do you clear your walk without killing your plants?
I know that those of you more than 50 miles west or north of DC would have liked to see this sooner but...
Rock salt doesn't work well when it's super cold and will wash into your plantings when it thaws unless you dig a trench to catch it.
You're better off with magnesium chloride or calcium chloride if it's bitter cold.
BUT
You have to buy them BEFORE it snows
BECAUSE
you have to clear the walk BEFORE you put them down.
AND
they will kill your plants if you put down too much because you don't want to clear the walk.

I'm getting this from my guru, Mike McGrath and here is his write-up.
http://www.gardensalive.com/product/plantsafe-ice-melting/you_bet_your_garden

Sunday we had enough snow to stick for a while and today is very bitter because of the winds -- typical weather for the DC region on Martin Luther King Weekend.  You still have time to get what you need -- including the snow shovel -- if you're in the lowlands.

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