Over a decade ago, we created the innovative Tree Defender IPC for one specific and singular purpose: to keep a pesky little bug off of our valuable citrus trees.
The bug in this case was, of course, the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny creature barely 3-4 millimeters in length; tiny enough to avoid eradication yet large enough to be the vector for transmitting the HLB bacteria that has nearly crippled a stalwart Florida industry.
As the years passed, and we continued to develop the Tree Defender to protect against this insect — including a patented net construction technology that more effectively protected new tree plants — it quickly became evident that providing industry-leading protection was just the tip of the iceberg with regards to what the Tree Defender can do and the positive benefits it consistently provides.
One of these benefits is particularly relevant this month as Florida gets its first real taste of winter with the noticeable change in temperatures.
Customers frequently ask whether the Tree Defender can provide beneficial cold weather protection. We are pleased to say that it does, particularly when combined with another method.
Low volume irrigation has been proven for years to be one of the most effective freeze protection methods for a myriad of crops, from strawberries to citrus.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the average groundwater temperature in the Southeastern United States consistently ranges about 68 degrees. Applying this relatively warm water through low-volume irrigation helps on its own. However, through a process called the “latent heat of fusion,” additional heat energy is released during the ice-forming process, which creates a protective layer that can prevent the plant tissue from reaching damaging temperatures.
When growers add the Tree Defender IPC during freeze events, a frost can form on the exterior of the cover. This external layer surrounds the tree and creates somewhat of an igloo effect. The Tree Defender helps to hold in heat and significantly slows the temperature drop inside.
Proper use of this combination — low-water irrigation and the Tree Defender — can work synergistically and enhance cold-weather protection. This one-two punch is fast becoming an important tool for growers, especially in some of the colder growing regions such as Georgia and North Florida.