Plant Stress
On several accessions I have been asked,
"what causes plant stress?"
"The same things that cause you stress".
Plant stress much like your stress comes in varying degrees. Small things can create major stress, this can affect the plants ability to utilize nutrients, moisture, fight insects and disease thus growth and reproduction. Each of these work in combination, just as with you ie: heat this makes you think (unconsciously) about work, food, dress etc. each is interrelated.
Temperature change
Environmental change
Heat - not enough or too much
Cold
Humidity - not enough or too much
Water - not enough or too much
Insects and Disease
Light - not enough or too much,
pH
Nutrition - not enough or too much imbalance
Cutting or trimming
Wind and Rain
Transplanting or thinning
Chemical - fertility, herbicide or pesticide
Each of these has many combinations of things that add to stress. This question is not easily answered. The more natural the stress aid - the less additional stress on the plant, the easier the stress is relieved. My answer is based on experience not science. But,
For what it's worth ------ that's my opinion
Harold