sprays that are used to spray the surface of plants at acute risk of freezing in another embodiment pgl compounds can be included in normal irrigation water on a long term basis only very small concentrations would be necessary because evaporation would concentrate the compound on plant surfaces in another embodiment low molecular weight pgl compounds might be included in irrigation water fertilizer formulations or plant potting soil so that these compounds are absorbed by plants to provide freezing protection inside plant tissues in another embodiment pgl compounds might be dispersed in the form of a powder on plants in still another embodiment pgl can be included as a component of other antifreeze solutions used for plant frost protection for example pgl of suitable molecular weight might be used instead of other polymers as the thickening agent of the invention in u s pat no 5 653 054 solutions containing pgl compounds are expected to exhibit a cleansing action against inas adhering to inas so that inas will be washed off surfaces eventually depleting the surfaces of ina material it has even been suggested that ina binding agents might exhibit a specific bactericidal activity against ina bacteria by blocking bacterial cell.