Blog
Nov 22

Use LeafShield to Avoid Winter Desiccation Injury

LeafShield-Art
The cold, drying winds of winter months can be damaging to exposed turf and plants, robbing them of essential leaf moisture that they need to survive the season.

Water loss in plants normally occurs through the stomatal pores in the leaves. When used to coat the plant leaves, LeafShield restricts the amount of water that escapes though these pores.  Preventing foliar water loss will improve the plant’s tolerance to stressful conditions.

Is Your Turf at Risk for Desiccation Injury?

Turfgrass damage due to desiccation occurs primarily in the winter months and is most prevalent in northern climates.  Injury to turfgrass is most severe in areas with little or no snow and windy conditions.  Other factors that contribute to winter desiccation include:

  • Frozen soils
  • Ground elevation – grass at higher points are more exposed to the elements, and are offered less wind protection from surrounding landscape features
  • Low humidity – lower humidity causes faster evaporation of water from the plants’ stomatal pores

Give your turf the protection it needs this winter with LeafShield. LeafShield is an anti-transpirant that provides safe, effective and affordable protection against winter desiccation injury. When applied to turfgrass or landscape plants, it dries to a thin, flexible layer that will not lead to discoloration.

<<< Learn more about LeafShield >>>

LeafShield is odorless, non-sticky, and mixes easily with water.  It washes effortlessly out of spray equipment with soap and water so cleanup is a breeze.  It can be applied in sunny or cloudy conditions, further increasing ease of use.

Benefits of LeafShield:

  • Protects turf against desiccation injury
  • Safe for use on all turf and plant types
  • Stays flexible and will not discolor foliage
  • Costs less than similar products
  • Economical enough for fairway protection
  • Will not clog nozzles or damage sprayer pump seals

How to Apply LeafShield:

Spray LeafShield at 2 oz/1000 sq ft with a spray volume of  1 – 2 gal/1000 sq ft.  LeafShield can be safely tank mixed with contact snow mold fungicides.  Do not tank mix LeafShield with PCNB or localized, acropetal or systemic penetrant snow mold fungicides.

For the best winter protection, LeafShield should be applied in early winter.  In particularly cold areas, a second application may be necessary for complete protection after 6-8 weeks.

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Aquatrols

About The Author

More than 60 years ago, Aquatrols introduced the world’s first commercially available soil wetting agent. Since creating an entirely new product category to address water management challenges and opportunities, the company has remained a top innovator and producer of high-performance soil surfactants and related technologies. Aquatrols’ advanced product suite optimizes soil-water-plant interactions in agricultural, professional turfgrass, and horticultural industries in more than 40 countries. Headquartered in southern New Jersey, Aquatrols also has offices in the United Kingdom and conducts business on six continents.