Jack Frost Foam

Earthcrew, Inc.

Frost protection for plants using Jack Frost Foam

Protect plants, safely from a freeze:

Without using crop covers, that provide only a few degrees of protection.
Without having to invest in expensive wind driven devices.
Without having to employ a large labor force.

Nursery & Ornamental Foam generating units for frost protection.

Light as a feather on a crop, will not bruise or break a plant’s branches or stems.
Applied quickly when you need it, and can be removed easily and quickly.
Foam blanket is non-toxic and safe to use on food crops and other plants.
Last for 8-24 hours after application.
Sets a stronger protective blanket as the temperature drops.
Can give up to 20 + degrees of frost protection.
Starts to breakdown as the temperature rises.

Pull the frost protection unit out in the the afternoon when you expect a frost or freeze that evening and apply a layer of nontoxic foam that covers your plants. The foam creates an insulating barrier around the plants that protects them from the cold air and traps heat rising from the ground. The foam sticks to the ground and the plants under normal wind conditions, and will remain in place for a period of 24-36 hours. The foam dissipates with higher air temperatures and sunlight.

Imagine being able to protect ripe fruit ready for harvest from an unexpected early frost:

Without having production losses from applying and removing crop covers.
Without having to watch your investment freeze.

Foam Specifications:

Foam is made from a patented two-part chemical developed by American Ag. Foam LLC.
Foam is non-toxic and safe to use on food crops.
Foam lasts 24 to 36 hours at 32° F.
Foam stiffens after about an hour, providing better resistance to wind.
Foam dissipates rapidly as temperatures rise.
Initial testing has shown that you can expect a temperature difference of at least 10° F between the air temperature and the temperature inside the foam at the plant leaf surface. This temperature difference can vary tremendously depending upon the air and ground temperature when the foam was applied and other environmental factors. Temperature differences of 20-30° F have been achieved.

Applicator Specifications:

5HP Honda gasoline engine powers chemical pump.
100-gallon tank.
Two 75 foot hose reels.
Two gasoline powered backpack foam applicator units.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the cost of the foam? A: The price of the foam per acre is $0.09/cubic foot.

Q: What is the cost of covering an area or acre? A: To calculate the number of cubic feet needed to cover an acre use this formula. Count the number of plants in an acre and measuring the size of the plants to be covered. A plant needs to have 6 + inches of insulating foam around it as a good insulating barrier. From this information the number of cubic feet can be calculated and a price can be estimated. Formula in inches: Height x Width x length divided by 1728 (cubic inches in cubic foot) = cubic feet. To figure price multiply cubic foot by prices provided above.

Example, for 3100 plants per acre with a plant size of 10 inches tall and around, formula is H (6”) x W (16”) x L (16”) = 1536 cubic inches divide by 1728 = 0.89 cubic foot per plant. Plant count/acre is 3100 x 0.88 cubic foot = 2759 cubic foot.. Multiply by $0.09/cubic foot = $248.31/ acre.

Q: What is the foam material made up of? A: The material consists of three parts; 1) A plant safe foaming base, 2) A foam stabilizer, 3) An activator (Important NOTE the correct volume of activator should be used to raise tank mix ph to between 7.4-7.8 ph). When combined in the tank at their proper rates and following all label directions, the end result will be a foam that. A) Will not harm the crop being covered, B) An insulating-foam that will last during the freeze period, C) An insulating-foam that will give plants a protective barrier against a freeze.

Q: Can I use a regular soap to produce the foam? A: A regular soap will not accomplish the same end result, as Jack Frost Foam™. Using another product as a substitute can result in A) crop kill (entire crop will suffer a burn effect with possible total plant kill to follow. B) The foam will not last very long (foam will breakdown in 1-25 minutes). C) The crop will freeze due to an inferior product being used that is not designed to insulate a crop against a killer freeze.

Q: What crops can be covered with Jack Frost Foam A: The crops that Jack Frost Foam has been tested on can be found on the Efficacy of Cryo-Protectant Material for Frost Protection. This is available by sending an email to info@earthcrew.com A crop compatibility test is always recommended and required on other crops not listed before actual use of Jack Frost Foam™ begins.

Q: How many times can you use Jack Frost Foam on the same crop? A: Jack Frost Foam can be applied several times during freeze events on the same crop.

Q: How do you get rid of the foam the next morning? A: American Ag. Foam recommends spraying down the Jack Frost Foam with water after the freeze event when the temperature is at 40º F and climbing. Washing down the surface of the foam will weaken the surface membrane, this allows the foam to break down more quickly. This is recommended in southern states, where temperatures after a freeze event will increase during the day.

This is also recommended for the following reasons: 1) prevents overheating (overheating can damage plants) within the foam due to the insulating abilities that the foam blanket exhibits. 2) Washing will help to eliminate foam residue that is a natural occurrence of foam breakdown on the plant surface.

Q: How long will the Jack Frost Foam last? A: The foam will form a surface barrier or skin as the temperature begins to drop. The faster the temperature drops the faster the foam will set, after it is formed from the cannon tip. Two ideal conditions for applying the foam need to occur. 1) When the temperature is below 60 º F and also going down at a rate of 2 degrees every15 minutes. 2) The sun is starting to go down (in the South ideal times are around 4:00-5:00pm). Foam can be applied right up to the point of frost damage. This means that foam can be placed on the crop until the portion of the crop that is not covered is damaged by the freezing temperatures. Jack Frost Foam will begin to breakdown the next day when the temperature begins to climb above 45-50 º F or is washed down as mentioned above.

Q: Can Jack Frost Foam be applied during freezing rain, or sleet. A: The answer is no, Jack Frost Foam is not recommended to be applied during sleet or freezing rain events. These events will breakdown the protective foam barrier in a short period of time.

Q: Will wind effect Jack Frost Foam when applied in the field? A: Jack Frost Foam can stand wind speeds of 15-20 MPH with little surface sheering occurring. In tested areas Jack Frost Foam holds better, on bare ground compared to a smooth surface of like plastic. On plastic wind speed of 10 mph or lower is recommended before applying Jack Frost Foam to your crop.

Q: Can I use my sprayer equipment to apply the foam? A: No the foam is generated using a patented foam cannon and air generating system.

Q: How fast can you cover the crop? A: The current machines that produce the foam can generate approximately 500+ gallons of foam a minute per cannon. This is equal to 66.84 cubic foot of foam produced per minute. The Jack Frost Foam units come in various sizes for specific markets. A tank can range from a small 35 gallon nursery model, to a 100 gallon truck bed or trailer mount unit, to a commercial 600 gallon large sized unit. The number of cannons that are available range in size from 1-12 nozzles attached to the main tanks.

Q: Can I purchase a system at any time. A: No, the Frost generating systems are built as needed and a limited number, are in stock. The 35 gallon 1 cannon unit has a 10-12 week delivery time and the 100 gallon 2 cannon unit has a 3-4 week delivery time. Delivery time is from date of purchase. Earthcrew, Inc. recommends you order early to ensure delivery before the frost comes.

Toll Free 866-866-1830 FAX 866-285-0023 info@earthcrew.com

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