Spray-on foam could help shield crops from devastating spring freezes
The insulation and heat release can protect crops for up to 24 hours, with additional applications possible if freezing conditions persist.
New technology aims to protect crops from sudden spring freezes. Ali Reid reports on a company testing foam designed to shield plants from extreme cold, offering farmers a potential lifeline.
For farmers across the mid-Atlantic, the growing season can be unforgiving.
Unseasonably warm stretches in early to mid-April are pushing crops to bloom earlier than normal, leaving delicate buds exposed just as the risk of late-season cold snaps remains high. When temperatures suddenly plunge, the damage can be swift and severe.
“The reality of it is you lose your entire crop in a single evening or hour… and that’s not recoverable,” said Patrick Redmond, Director of Vineyard & Nursery Operations at Hermann J. Wiemer Winery in Dundee, New York.
That pattern has already played out this season. Early warmth triggered accelerated growth, only to be followed by freezing conditions that wiped out vulnerable buds overnight.
“It started almost mid-early to mid-April with that unseasonable warm weather — that created this really early-season push,” Redmond said.
When the cold arrives, the impact is immediate.
The Brekland frost protection system being deployed across Hermann J. Wiemer Winery. (Image credit: Kateri Connolly)
“It comes in and freezes everything, so then the next morning when you look at it, it’s just black,” he said.
With entire harvests at risk, new technology is emerging to help farmers fight back. Agricultural tech company Brekland is developing a spray-on, biodegradable foam designed to shield crops from freezing temperatures.
The foam coats buds and vines, forming an insulating barrier that helps retain heat and protect against frigid air.
“The idea is that you apply this foam to these canes and buds, and then it provides an insulating factor,” Redmond explained.
As the foam freezes, it releases a small amount of heat through an exothermic reaction, adding another layer of protection during critical temperature drops.
Together, the insulation and heat release can protect crops for up to 24 hours, with additional applications possible if freezing conditions persist.
For now, the focus is on improving how quickly the foam can be deployed across large areas before temperatures fall.
The Brekland frost protection system being deployed across Hermann J. Wiemer Winery. (Credit: ReelEmotion Films)
“We know it works really well for us. It’s more about speed of application. How quickly can we apply an effective layer, and that’s the next step,” Redmond said.
As climate variability drives more frequent swings between warmth and sudden freezes, growers are bracing for this to become a regular challenge.
“These freeze events are going to keep happening. It’s not a problem that’s gonna solve itself or go away on its own. It’s gonna almost become an integral part of being able to produce vines,” Redmond said.
With the stakes so high, innovations like this foam could help determine whether farmers face devastating losses or manage to save a season.
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