Sidewalk salting using an empty paint can

[jacob]

In some places, it's the law, so if you're legally compelled to ruin nearby soil and plants in the name of pedestrian traction. Here's a smarter way that will save you a lot of salt as well as some environmental destruction...

Grab a used paint can (or similar, like a bucket ... it's the principle that owrks) and punch some holes in the bottom with a hammer and a screwdriver. Then fill it 1/3 up with road salt. Pour warm water (from the sink) into the can and then walk around with it swinging it as if you were engaging in some kind of Catholic sermon. Walk back and forth spreading the saltwater around until the sidewalk has been adequately covered. It'll diffuse and melt the rest in a couple of hours.

This way is more efficient than tossing solid salt around waiting for it to turn into salt water and then ever so slowly move to the places you didn't hit with the solid crystals. This is why the liquid method requires far less salt. I'm still on my first bag of salt since 3+ years by now ... in Chicago.

PS: For an investment, see CMP. I don't own this, but I'm watching it closely. (Advanced only: Short ratio is sky-high.)

[Loner]

Use sand instead?

[Lucky C]

And as with any homemade sprinkler/seeder, make sure the lid is tight enough before you go swinging it around! I have a patch of very densely planted clover from my first coffee can seed shaker slip-up.

Have you looked into salt-tolerant plants close to the road/sidewalk? I am thinking about putting a couple of seaberry bushes closest to the road, though I don't know if they will actually make a difference protecting other plants from salt in the soil? At any rate they are also nitrogen fixers to they should be helpful to nearby plants in at least one way.

[jacob]

Haha... I don't swing it around. More like a pendulum.

I've been thinking of building something out ABS plastic pipe. The pipe would have holes in it pointing down and be exactly as wide as the sidewalk. The contraption would look something like a watercan with the wide T attachment at the end.

[bryan]

Why not load up a bug sprayer? Would you lose too much heat via spraying action (and can't you make it more of a stream)?

For CMP, I may grab a little SOIL etf (closest I have is VAW probably).

[jacob]

Main reason being that I don't own one. A Super-Soaker 500,000 would also be acceptable.