harveyc

I heard this morning that a major Caifornia nursery (over 1,000 acres) has been using a material called Anti-Stress 550 and reported great results with it in reducing frost damage to various plants as well as reducing stress to plants during hot weather in our climate with low humidity.

I telephoned the manufacturer and spoke with their technical specialist and he reported that the product has been widely used for 20 years and that many growers find they can get 4F-6F protection and that a foliage grower in Arizona reports 8F protection. I was speaking to him about using it on some of my other commercial crops but also mentioned my banana hobby and he said many of us would see a great benefit in using the material.

For my own use I can get the material from a local agricultural supplier. I asked about any online sources and he mentioned Terra Tech from Oregon. I searched and found the material at the following links:

Anti-Stress 550, 2.5 gal. 2.5 gallons Anti-Stress 550
Anti-Stress 2000, 1 gal. 1 gallon Anti-Sress 2000
Anti-Stress 2000, 1 qt. 1 quart Anti-Stress 2000

Note: Anti-Stress 2000 is an identical product with different label for horticultural trade.

Here is a link to the manufacturer's web site with some test information:
Reduce Frost Plant Protection Anti Stress Plant Protection Frost Plant Protection Reduce Frost Plant Protection

Since Freeze-Pruf (see Freeze Pruf) seems to be stalled, I thought this is something some of us might want to try this next winter.

Cheers,

Harvey

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enigma99a

is this toxic?

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Average January Low: 40°F, Average August High: 95°F
Typical Low Each Winter: 28-30°F, Typical High Each Summer: 108-110°F, Annual Precipitation: 22 inches

harveyc

It looks okay to me, here is a link to the Material Data Safety Sheet AntiStress Plant Protection Membranes - AntiStress. I don't know if this is a related web site or a dealer, but it is describing the same product.

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Chironex

If you click the link provided, there is a statement by the distributor that it is safe.

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Scot

enigma99a

hmmmm.. So what is the difference from Anti-Stress 550 and 2000?

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Average January Low: 40°F, Average August High: 95°F
Typical Low Each Winter: 28-30°F, Typical High Each Summer: 108-110°F, Annual Precipitation: 22 inches

harveyc

Buried in my original post:

FYI - I'm planning on getting a couple of 2.5 gallon jugs of Anti-Stress 550 to apply to trees in my chestnut orchard. On days when we get over somewhere around 90F the leaves fold to conserve water due to our dry climate and it's really bad when we get over 100F. For the nominal cost, I'd like to see how this might help trees cope and increase production. The studies show that crop yields are improved, even when adequate water is available to the roots. The leaves on my bananas also show stress during hot dry conditions and I expect they would benefit from the use of the product. Folks like Scot and Paulo in even hotter/drier desert climates might get big benefits, I'm guessing.

I'm not concerned with frost damage in my chestnut orchard but will try it on my tropical plants as well as possibly on my pomegranates which do experience some tip die-back.

Harvey

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enigma99a

I might have to try this. Looks like you just have to be careful about breathing in the mist when you spray it but that's it

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Average January Low: 40°F, Average August High: 95°F
Typical Low Each Winter: 28-30°F, Typical High Each Summer: 108-110°F, Annual Precipitation: 22 inches

harveyc

I should have mentioned earlier: when I spoke with the company's tech rep yesterday I asked him about the dilution rate typically used and he said 1%-2%, so you can get quite a few plants covered with even the smaller bottle. The tech guy has a citrus orchard of his own and uses a sprayer that electrically charges the spray material (common for newer sprayers, giving a positive charge to the spray mix so that it gets drawn to the target plants) so he uses very little water per acre and he goes with the 2% rate. Most of us probably would be soaking our plants more and use 1%.

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enigma99a

So 1% of stuff for each 99% water?

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Average January Low: 40°F, Average August High: 95°F
Typical Low Each Winter: 28-30°F, Typical High Each Summer: 108-110°F, Annual Precipitation: 22 inches

harveyc

Yes. The label will give full instructions, I'm sure, but I had asked the tech rep since I wanted to know how much I would need to be able to spray my chestnut orchard (it takes me about 200 gallons to cover my trees at their current stage of growth).

Harvey

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harveyc

Just an update: hot weather has finally got here. We had three days over 100F beginning last Saturday and I wish I had sprayed some of the Anti-Stress 550 on my bananas to help them cope with the hot dry summer weather. I hope to get around to it in the next day or two (swamped with mowing and weedeating in my chestnut orchards). I'll also spray my chestnut trees in a few days but first one to put on another application of AZ41.

Also, I just got my invoice from my chemical supplier. The 5 gallons (two 2.5 gallon jugs) cost me $206. That's enough for 500 gallons of mixed spray material.

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1harbor

I read this post as I was looking into Anti Stress 2000. I see that the post was pretty old and I am wondering if anybody can give an update as to if this product was effective or not. I would love to know specifically if it did anything to help with cold damage. Any info would be helpful before I go and purchase this stuff.
Thanks!!!

harveyc

I haven't used it for cold protection but maybe will do so next winter....if I remember.

I primarily use it for when I transplant young fruit trees into the ground, such as the 30 additional fig trees I planted a couple of weeks ago. It does seem to help reduce wilting.

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