Huh, you’re thinking, what are anti-transpirants? Read on!
What is transpiration?
Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and evaporation from leaves, stems, needles, and flowers. Simply put, it’s moisture loss.
Deciduous trees that lose all their leaves experience minimal transpiration. Evergreens that maintain their needles or leaves all winter experience far greater transpiration.
In Colorado, with our dry and windy winter climate, transpiration can stress expensive evergreen trees like pines and spruce.
What is the solution?
Fortunately, anti-transpirants have been developed that slow moisture loss and can keep your evergreens healthier.
Anti-transpirants are waxy liquid substances which are applied to plants and trees to reduce transpiration, and therefore moisture loss. They do this without causing a significant effect on other plant processes such as photosynthesis and growth. Applying them does not change the appearance of your trees.
How do anti-transpirants reduce transpiration (water loss)?
Anti-transpirants reduce transpiration in three different ways:
- By reducing the absorption of solar energy and thereby reducing leaf temperatures and transpiration rates.
- They form thin transparent films which hinder the escape of water vapors from the leaves.
- Anti-transpirants promote closure of stomata, tiny pores on the leaf thus decreasing the loss of water vapors from the leaf.
Want your trees to look better in Spring? Contact us to apply an anti-transpirant!