Anti-transpirants

[Swolte]

Has anyone tried these to help overwinter palms?

I happened to read about them on an information sheet from Nurseries Carolina. They say it helps zone-pushed plants with overwintering. Once you spray anti-transpirants like 'Cloud Cover' or 'Wilt Pruf', it prevents plants from drying out when they are frozen since the coating will prevent excess moisture loss. Thoughts?

[sipalms]

15 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Has anyone tried these to help overwinter palms?

I happened to read about them on an information sheet from Nurseries Carolina. They say it helps zone-pushed plants with overwintering. Once you spray anti-transpirants like 'Cloud Cover' or 'Wilt Pruf', it prevents plants from drying out when they are frozen since the coating will prevent excess moisture loss. Thoughts?

I've used Anti-Transpirants for a couple of years on my Queen Palms. It's debatable as to whether they actually work. But they do make you feel better when you're lying in bed during a heavy frost worrying about your palms!

Just be careful not to over-apply, and always apply during fine, sunny weather during the day so that it has time to actually set on the leaves. I have had some leaf spotting issues with it.

[Steve in Florida]

I tested Anti Stress 2000 on a 15 gallon Washingtonia robusta.  All leaves were sprayed on both surfaces before the first hard freeze.  I knew from experience this palm would develop leaf damage from repeated nights below 22F.  The sprayed palm developed no damage down to 14F.  However, in the spring when the coating started washing off and breaking down the entire plant showed heavy cold damage and completely collapsed.

[jwitt]

Never personally used the stuff.  My thought is cellular damage due to the formation of (ice) solids expanding and tearing structures(plant cells) apart is what causes the dessication. "Painting or sealing a surface will not prevent this.

 

The theory to me is like painting a brick so it does not evaporate.  

My thoughts.

 

 

 

[Dimovi]

I thought wet freeze is worse than dry freeze. I don't see drying out to be an issue during a freeze.

I've never used this.

[CodyORB]

Don’t blue palms already have an anti-transpirant “built in”?

[PalmatierMeg]

I believe blue and silver palm leaves have a natural "wax" on their leaves that give them a boost in cold hardiness (think silver vs. green Bizzies). Exactly how that waxy covering works I don't know although "anti-transpiration" surely plays a part. I have a Coccothrinax Azul that has silver-blue leaves caused by a waxy coating. By the end of winter that coating turns yellowish - not aesthetically pleasing, perhaps, but the wax gets the job done.