Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

This application opens up quite a few new plants to my garden. I can hardly wait for it's release.
Spray Improves Plants’ Cold Tolerance By 2 To Over 9 Degrees Fahrenheit

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Sounds amazing. Could you post a link?

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Howard, Chris posted the link in a thread titled Freeze-Pruf. looks promsing :bananas_b

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Here's a link to what I believe Chris was referring. I am currently trying to touch base with Dr. Francko about this product and try and see when we might see it on the market....

Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board: A different approach from David Francko!

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Randy,

I'm way ahead of you, I spoke with him while I was making the post and he believes it will be soon. 1 gallon of concentrate would go for about $20, this would make 5 gallons of solution. I can't wait hopefully it will be out by October.

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Here's the entire press release from U of Ala.

University of Alabama News

Hope he has better luck getting this to market than he's had with the "Upham Giant".

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Wow, I could leave my basjoos in full leaf outdoors most years in our zone. I have to rely on you guys to let us know when this is on the market because I GOTTA get some. I wonder how it is on ferns?

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

It does best on waterbased plants like Bananas and Cannas, though I would imagine ferns could definately benefit from it as well.

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

I hope he's ready for export orders. I'm well up for trying some of that. Could do with it ready for this winter

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

I have been thinking about this and sure would like to talk to Dr. Francko in person. Even if you were able to get 9 degrees of added protection, on a banana plant, say, that would still not be enough to get it through in my area. I wonder if the product is "transient"? I mean, if applied to the leaves and pstem, will it migrate down into the mat and/or corms to increase their hardiness? I would like it is only good at protecting what it is sprayed on. If it would increase the hardiness of the corm, then that would be great, I just don't see it moving like that inside the plant.
Am I making any sense? Let me try another way. If I used this product on a banana that is really rated a zone 9a plant, and the temps dropped down below freezing and I got another 9 degrees of protection, that is roughly protected to about 23F, before the leaves died off, I still have nights that dropped into the teens, then would the banana be lost? Now if the product gave the corm an added 9 degrees and it was planted and mulched well, then it would more than likely survive. Does that explain my question any better?
Let me know what you folks are thinking on this... Thanks... And sorry for not being able to write what I am thinking!!!!

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Randy,

What you're saying makes perfect sense. I think the word you were looking for was "translocate" which is what we say systemic insecticides or a herbicide like Round-Up does. You spray it on the foliage and it is taken in by the plant and translocated throughout the plant and down into the roots. It's hard to say what this product will do. It seems to me like it may act similar to an antidessicant and probably only works, as you said, on the parts that it is sprayed on. It would definitely be worth speaking with the good Doctor and see if this has been evaluated. I think I could even make good use of this product in the Houston area. The cool weather we get here in Jan-Feb is usually enough to knock my Dw. Cavendish, SDC, and other bananas like zebrina, and laterita back pretty badly. I'd think it would help them to get through the winter better. This will be a very popular product if it works as reported.

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Brent,
Thanks for being able to put the correct word in my mouth. I, too, think I could use it here in my area, but not on my bananas. I would probably use it on smaller, less established marginal palms until they had more time to get growing. Don't think my Queen palm would be a candidate, but a smaller Butia that needed protection for its first couple of years should benefit. Again, appreciate the correct wording for what my mind wants to say, but not educated enough to say it!!! LOL

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Oh, I think you're plenty educated, Randy. We all have trouble thinking of the right words sometimes. Sometimes I think I'm losing it when I can't think of the word I'm wanting to use!

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Hmm Dr. francko was the guy behind the "Upham giant" Basjoo. Hopefully this turns out better then that.

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

??? I don't understand what you mean by "Hopefully this turns out to be better than that." Were you referring to the "Upham" giant? If you have heard more on it, please let me know...

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

I just mean that project didn't turn out. This looks very promising though!

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Have you heard something that I haven't? Last I spoke with Dr. Francko about this, he was going to check with his collegues at Miami University where he did his research and see where they were on the "Upham Giant". As he has taken another position at U of Alabama, he no longer works for Miami U. in Dayton... Please let me know what you have heard about this...

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Yeah as far as I was able to find out nothing was happening with it. I was told that they decided it just wasn't financially feasible when a basjoo could be bought at Lowes for $7.

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Ok just received an email from Dean Franco and here is his reply 'We did not do translocation studies, and it would be difficult to load enough product into something so massive as a pseudostem or corm. But we do note some added protection of the pseudostem so some translocation appears to be taking place. Our pitch for growing Zone 8 stuff in Zone 7 is the lessening of foliar damage under Zone 7 conditions – that’s all you need to move one Zone further north. Now, if you’re trying to coax true Zone 8/9 bananas to overwinter in Zone 6 conditions, then one would need to worry about underground parts surviving better, but there the cause of mortality is extended, chronic cold.'

Hope this helps, I know I am going to try it.

Re: Extra 7 degrees goes a long way
 

Chris,
I appreciate the info, but it still doesn't seem to help in the case of bananas in my zone 7. Whether the banana is rated a zone 7 or 8, the foliar damage for either is inevitable with our lows going into the upper teens even during warm winters. Don't banana leaves die with frost or at least freezing temps? If so, then with a 9 degree added protection, the foliage on bananas would die with temps in the low 20's. Am I understanding this correctly, or have I missed the boat completely on it?