Plant Examining Glasses - NASA Technology Helps You See And Correct Plant Stress

Although not exactly poised to set a new fashion trend, the new Plant Examining Glasses from Cleanairgardening.com make clever use of technology developed by NASA. Healthy turf grass and most plants are full of chlorophyll, which causes their bright green color. Plants that are diseased or stressed, due to lack of water or pests, for instance, also emit other colors, but they are masked by the green chlorophyll. The effect is similar to the reason deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves in winter) turn colors in the fall. The chlorophyll production in the leaves shuts down, allowing the underlying colors to be seen.

These special glasses actually filter out most of the green colors, causing them to appear gray or black. Any other colors that show up, such as pink or red, indicate some kind of plant stress, giving the gardener or homeowner advance warning so the condition can be corrected before permanent damage is done. If a serious problem is found and headed off, the $49.99 price would be worth it.