Silica users post your results

[Yerba]

Any silica users notice a difference in your plant health, growth.

I have been wondering if I should use it with my nutes to enhance plant health. My nutes are Flora Micro, Bloom, Koolbloom, Floralicious Plus and considering silicas in addition to the mix to help plants to deal with heat and flourish in good health maybe even get a better yield ?

Any comments would be great.

 

[Chiefsmokingbud]

If you got it use it. I can't say I've really noticed much difference. Perhaps an actual side by side would determine.

 

[Yerba]

Here is a tidbit I found pretty good info has convinced me to use silica

Silicon is a highly essential micronutrient. It has been known to heighten growth and prevent disease in plants for centuries. It is present in significant amounts in the epidermal cells of plants; and acts as a barrier and repellant against invading insects and fungi. Silicon has also been found to accumulate around diseased parts of the plant, implying that it is not only preventive but also highly curative too.

Silicon is abundant in the root cells where plants are most likely to be exposed to pathogens and parasites. Presence of this element makes the cells harder and highly resistant to disease or attack. In fact, silicon protects the plants against pathogens, such as pythium, fungal spores, aphids, sucking insects and powdery mildew. Apart from directly resisting plant infections, silicon stimulates creation of other disease resistant elements, such as polyphenolic compounds.

Silicon improves plant resistance to water deficiency. Heavy concentrations of silica in the outer cells of plants reduces transpiration of moisture. It also resists wilt and negative impact from excessive occurrence of many essential nutrients.

Concentrations of chlorophyll as well as utilization of carbon dioxide is directly affected by the presence of silica in plants. That is why silicon deficiency is reflected in malformation of young leaves and either deformed or no fruits at all.

Silicon is also instrumental in ameliorating mineral imbalances and diseases caused by abiotic stresses. For example, silicon can prevent manganese and iron toxicity as well as prove beneficial for aluminum toxicity.

Plants absorb silicon better through the leaves. That is why soluble silicon is one of the best ways of providing plants with supplemental silicon. Potassium silicate is a great source of soluble silicon and provides small amounts of potassium too.

Although silicon is not considered to be an essential nutrient for most terrestrial plants, it is beneficial to many plants. Si has the potential to significantly decrease the susceptibility of certain plants to both biotic and abiotic diseases. Furthermore, in plants such as rice, Si fertilization may even increase growth and yield in addition to reducing disease severity. However, we are only now beginning to better understand the role of Si in plant health and disease. As we learn more about the importance of silicon in plant physiology, we may find more ways to use this important element for improving plant health and disease resistance.

 

[Deft]

Some plants biomagnify silica to such an extent that they can be used as an abrasive. Theres one ancient grass (I forget the name, maybe horsetail, it looks like it) that is said to be a great scrub brush because of the high silica content.

Seems to be a lot of swampy grasses contain a lot of it, like the rice and horsetail.

 

[Yerba]

I read about that horsetail has a very high concentration of silica, rice that has high concentrations of silica have higher yield and much more robust growth and health.
I feel like this is a real bonus for indoor gardners with all the problems some of us encounter such as powder mildew and plant sucking bugs ie spider mites and thrips, with the use of silica could help give plants an edge against pest. Hope it could help boost yield a little bit if not at least give plants a super charged immune system. Those are my thoughts I will be picking some up and trying it out, to see side by side if there is added benefit in usung silica.

 

[cemchris]

Has the bonus of not having to stake as much on bigger plants. Reason I switched from coco to dynaroks. Pro-tetk is your plants and ph's friend.

 

[Yerba]

I would have to agree any silica nutient supplement would be a benefit, maybe in yield but for sure in plant health and pest resistance

 

[Weedninja]

I am not one to use unnecessary supplements, but I do use Pro-Tekt for the reasons that you listed in your second post of this thread. I haven't noticed any side-by-side difference in my plants , though. I think it's one of those things where you have to have faith in the scientific evidence.

 

[XtaS]

I will be starting my very first waterfarm grow is some weeks now and I got myself Flora Tripack and a bottle of Grow-Techs Liquid Silicon which is 5% potassium silicate. I hope that prevents any root problems I'm likely to encounter as this is my first grow with water.

 

[vince514]

congrats xtas for trying out the potassium silicate it's very useful for strengthing your plants from the inside out.... i use it every feed and it makes a difference in the finished product your buds shrink less overall when drying..............imo....good luck.....

 

[XtaS]

Thanks for the nice words! Hopefully I'll be posting some results in some months.