Here in Montana our 2 worst enemies with fruit trees is winter desiccation and sun scald. Our humidity is very low and we have terrible drying winter winds. I’ve heard of other members using Wiltstop. Is this something that I could use on my fruit trees and shrubs? Our growing zone is 4b where I’m at but occasionally we see 40f during the day and then at night it drops down to -30f for short periods. I’ve painted trunks, mulch heavily and put tree tubes on many of my fruit trees but that sometimes isn’t enough.
Yes, I use it, and is probably the only reason I had fruit this year. I am the one who has been advocating it’s use, although It would be nice to have a few years more to see how well it really does work or not work. It seems to have worked last year.
Those are two interesting articles, one a research article, about anti-transpirants.
Experts seem to consider them useful exclusively for evergreens as a means of reducing transpiration from leaves and needles. At least one manufacturer seems to disagree and recommends their product for deciduous plants as well, but that was in a promotional article composed for homeowners.
Until I see some indication that they are effective at reducing transpiration from bark I wouldn’t waste my time and money- it will require multiple applications over winter- or at least does with evergreens, as the effectiveness declines precipitously about 3 weeks after application- especially in dry windy conditions which causes the stuff to crack.
It might be more effective to go a bit overboard on the mulch after watering in the trees well in late fall if needed. I’d use two or three inches of wet rotted wood chips followed by the same amount of something drier for pure insulation, like pine needles, bark chips or shredded oak leaves (or other species that doesn’t get soggy). Compacted sections from a bale of hay is great insulation as well.
Deciduous trees keep sending out new fine roots during winter if the soil is moist and warm enough. The rotted wood is like a reservoir that will wick water into the soil immediately below which will be kept warmer by all the mulch- especially the dry stuff.
You can also slit, the side and remove the bottom bottom of a 15-25 gallon thin plastic pots and slide them around the base of trees and fill them with light and airy soil before serious winter weather begins. This should at least prevent the bottom foot of any give tree from ever being killed by winter temps or wind.
If there are any commercial tree nurseries in your area they might have useful suggestions.
I have heard some recent studies show it’s not the best for evergreens. I heard some master gardener on the radio mention the study. I don’t have any other info. I guess it was where it was hot. It hurt plants in warm areas. Here I need as much help as possible. I do mulch heavily in the winter. In the fall I renewed all mulch under my trees and shrubs. Using the product was out of desperation. With a 100% loss of stone fruit, and a 95% loss of blackberry floricanes. I needed to solve the problem anyway possible. Using the product in the next just as brutal winter I had 90% floricane survival. And 1/3 of fruit buds lived. So yes I’m totally sold on the product. This is not just a slight improvement, it was a major change in direction. All gardening is local, you could be too hot, or too cold for the product to be effective. I can say here it sure seems to have made a major difference. Some of the plants that were damaged were not sprayed. Every blackberry not sprayed died, or died to the crown. It was a good test, Every blackberry sprayed came through almost undamaged. I’m sold. I would like to have more years of observation. It is possible another reason exists for the large survival rate? Although the rate was as bad as ever with non-sprayed plants. I’m leaving one peach tree unsprayed to see if fruit bud survival rate differs. The unsprayed one is PF Lucky 13. Developed right here, so is adapted, a good control tree.
I also have this currant cultivar “London Market”. the last 2 winters unsprayed all first year canes died for 2nd season, so no fruit. All my other currants are fine, extremely hardy. This cultivar is not. I sprayed it this year, see if the canes survive.
I started growing figs and for now they are in pots in the garage. I sprayed them too. The product should really last in there. No wind or rain.
Anyway I’m glad I tried it. i can’t say it will work for anybody else? It’s worth a try at least. If we have a mild winter, it won’t tell me anything.
I read the first study and find it ironic that it suggested that mulch didn’t work either. I do have a problem with the study. One it’s not a formal study but a Thesis paper. Two, it’s from 1977 and they mention the anti-desiccants are Vinyl
latexes. Vinyl latexes are no longer used. Pinene is now used which is not a vinyl latex it’s a monoterpene chemical compound related to turpentine.
The thesis also mentions products were applied at low temps, and this is not following label directions. They do mention this may have been a factor.
With pinene you need a sunny day at least one day for product to dry correctly, above 40F too. Pinene is also what is used in the sticker Nu Film 17.
Another problem we have here is the frost line is 3 feet. Most plants roots freeze solid.
And if the linked thesis is correct, mulch won’t help either. If roots are frozen they will lose moisture.
Drew, I should have explained that I didn’t post the articles to prove a point- I just thought they seemed to contain some useful info after skimming them- I actually thought the first one had references to other research based on numbers posted but I noticed there was no bibliography when I just went back to check it.
I was curious because I hadn’t heard about using these products for deciduous trees so I spent a good deal of time trying to find any references to using them for this and pretty much came up empty- except for spring frost protection of fruit buds, which I’d like to learn more about.
I am curious, though, if the product you use is labeled for use on deciduous trees- and to protect fruit buds from winter extreme weather. At least that would provide me with a way to check out the basis of their claim. Companies sometimes have a sales staff that will personally answer a consumers question.