Adding silica to the grow medium...

[GrnMtnGrwr]

Thank you everyone for the info!

humble1 - I was thinking that the silica would be dropped from the feeding as soon as bud growth started, is that right?

 

[DHF]

Dyna Grow Protekt is the exact same product as Silicablast but I`ve never blasted plants with it just as Humble1 says too much of a good thing isn`t.............

5 ml per gal has been in my mix till last week or so before addbacks of R/O flushed everything out till harvey with proper results....................

Potassium ( K ) is needed throughout each plant`s cycle so how is it not needed..........

Rather everything in proper doseages......

Peace........DHF........

 

[humble1]

I'm not religious with the stuff. The only reason I know so much about it is because I used to rep for Dyna-Gro. After veg I only use it as pH up, which is fairly often because I use H&G nutes and they drop super low.
I'd say no later than week 4 of bloom is the time to cut it out all together.

 

[chytil151]

I'm not religious with the stuff. The only reason I know so much about it is because I used to rep for Dyna-Gro. After veg I only use it as pH up, which is fairly often because I use H&G nutes and they drop super low.
I'd say no later than week 4 of bloom is the time to cut it out all together.

I just picked up a bottle of the dyna-gro pro-tekt from My shop cause the guy told me I could use it in place of my ph up and it has benificials in it also to help w/ the plant's growth. Is this something I would only use for veg. cycle or throughout the plants whole life?

 

[*mistress*]

for foilar spray...

tween 20, or couple drops of dish detergent for surfacant (decreases surface tension on leaves)...
& couple drops of baby oil (unscented) for sticker...

is used phd up to 6.5-7.0...
>250 ppm...

yes, pro-tekt is very concentrated... 1/4-1/2 tsp work well... alsmost get rid of plant-support need, if veg long enough stalks get very woody...

enjoy your garden!

 

[humble1]

is that you DEDHEDFRED?
welcome back buddy!
chytil did you read the thread?
pretty sure that's asked and answered.

It's better to establish silica in the plant early than to try and add it later in bloom.

and

After veg I only use it as pH up

If your hydro guy told you it has beneficial bacteria/myco in it you need to go to another store right now. Potassium and silica are beneficial to plant growth but most people don't call them "beneficials."
Once the silica is established throughout the plant (in the cell walls) there isn't really a need to add more. This can take a while as cannabis is a slow to uptake silica (relative to NPK or Ca). anyone who tells you that you need to use it through the whole life of the plant is just trying to sell you another bottle of juice.

 

[humble1]

if veg long enough stalks get very woody...

hey there *mistress*
long time no see.
my big mamas are like fookin' tree trunks.
I chop'em and use'em for walking sticks!

 

[transplant]

I recently added Rare Earthto the coco mix. How effective is this method?

 

[*mistress*]

hey there *mistress*
long time no see.
my big mamas are like fookin' tree trunks.
I chop'em and use'em for walking sticks!

sweetie!

...............
nothing like turning shrub into tree.prefer for season-bottle-sized-stalk - before flowering...
so... it goes... for few weeks veg...
then couple more weeks, ...just to get cubic yard of plant mass......
to give beautiful blossoms...


enjoy your garden!

 

[chytil151]

yes I read a good bit of it, but like I said before I just picked the pro-tekt up today and wanted a lil feedback on it before I used it. I didn't wanna use it the way the shop guy told me too. sorry If I asked a question that had already been covered I'm sorry.

 

[turbolaser4528]

hope y'all don't mind, figured this would help some;

DYNA-GRO'S unique Pro-TeKt® formula is an easy to use liquid concentrate that provides
supplemental potassium (3.7%) and silicon (7.8%). The latest research proves that plants benefit in
many important ways from supplemental soluble silicon. These benefits include greater tolerance of
environmental stresses such as cold, heat, drought, salinity, mineral toxicity or deficiency, improved
growth rates, accelerated root development on cuttings and improved resistance to insects and
fungi. Soluble silicon promotes natural fungal defense mechanisms in plants, significantly reducing,
and in many cases eliminating entirely, the need to use fungicides. Silicon deposited in epidermal
cell walls enhances plants' resistance to small sucking insects. The resulting increased mechanical
strength in epidermal cell walls enhances leaf presentation to light and improved stem strength.
Soluble silicon enhances metabolic functions and plant growth rates by balancing nutrient uptake,
distribution and transport and increasing chlorophyll concentration in leaves resulting in improved
pollen fertility, fruit and flower count.
Silicon deposition in the plant's epidermal cell layer acts as a barrier against penetration of fungal
hyphae from powdery mildew, black spot, Pythium and Phytophthora, etc. Silicon is selectively
transported to the site of fungal infection and is utilized by the plant metabolically to combat the
growth of fungi. Silicon is also incorporated into cell walls improving heat, drought and cold
tolerance by reducing transpiration. The added mechanical strength makes the plant less dependent
upon osmotic pressure for leaf and stem turgidity. Silicon, selectively transported to the site of
fungal infection, plays an active metabolic role in combating fungal growth by the production of
polyphenolic compounds, part of a plant's natural defenses against fungi and insects. Silicon is
rapidly bound in leaf tissue and deposited in a non-translocatable form within 24 hours of uptake.
Therefore a continuous source of soluble silicon is very important to combat pathogens. This can be
from constant feeding in hydroponics or from retention in the growing medium.
In some plants, foliar applications appear to lead to even lower rates of disease. Silicon, taken up by
the plant via the roots, is moved to old leaves first, whereas fungal infections tend to attack the new
growth first. Foliar application to the new growth Pro-TeKts the tender new leaves. Foliar sprays of
soluble silicon have also been shown to be effective for the control of aphids and other sucking
insects on many plants. Epidermal cell walls containing silicon deposits act as a mechanical barrier
to insects. In addition to the silicate deposits in the leaves, the intracellular content of silicic acid
also acts as an effective sap sucking inhibitor for many insects.
™
The Nutrition Solution®
Product Data
Discover the Benefits of Silicon Nutrition in Your Plants!
Pro-TeKt ®
“The Silicon Solution“®
Silicon Increases Resistance to Pathogens
In growth tests at the University of Florida dry weight in Dendrobium nobile, Aeschmea fasciata,
Spathiphyllum and Anthurium scherzerianum provided 49 ppm soluble silicon increased from 18% to
80% over the dry weight of control plants grown without supplemental silicon. 32 of the 39 species
evaluated in this test took up additional silicon when it was provided. Those plants are considered
Si-responsive and had greater leaf thickness as well as greater dry weight.
Silicon Increases Metabolic Rates and Stress Resistance
Soil and Soilless Mixes: Apply Pro-TeKt® at a rate of 1:1500 to 1:3000 (1/2 tsp to 1/4 tsp/gal)
depending upon the plants' requirements.
Hydroponics: Continuously feed Pro-TeKt® at a rate of 1:750 (1 tsp/gal).
Research has shown that silicon benefits plants in the following ways: improved resistance to wilt,
resistance to water stress (heat and drought), enhanced leaf presentation resulting in improved
light interception, enhanced reproductive growth, and increased tolerance of zinc deficiencies, cold
temperatures, excessive phosphorus, manganese, sodium and aluminum concentrations. Silicon,
deposited in the cell walls, forms a protective layer reducing transpiration through the outer cells.
Silicon deposits in the cell walls of xylem vessels prevent compression of the vessels under
conditions of high transpiration caused by drought or heat stress. Temperatures
much above 90° F cause plants to virtually cease their metabolic functions
because water is lost through transpiration faster than it can be replaced
via the plant's root system. This results in harmful increases in intracellular
mineral concentrations that inhibit plant functions. Increased levels of
silicon in cell walls reduce transpiration loss caused by higher temperatures
and the low humidity of typical interior growing conditions thus allowing
continued metabolic functions at higher temperatures. Plants wilt less, resist
sunburn and are generally more tolerant of heat stresses. Cuttings and plugs are more
tolerant of the stresses encountered during root formation and potting up as a result of decreased
transpiration. Studies at the Universities of Florida and Minnesota have shown significantly
increased success rates in propagation of cuttings when silicon is applied foliarly through a misting
system, or as a drench or soak prior to sticking. The surfactant characteristics of Pro-TeKt® result
in better uptake of water and the minerals dissolved in it for better nutrition and growth.
Silicon has also been shown to result in higher concentrations of chlorophyll per unit area of leaf
tissue. This means that a plant is able to tolerate both lower and higher light levels by using more
of the available light. Moreover, supplemental levels of soluble silicon have been shown to produce
higher concentrations of the enzyme RUBP carboxylase in leaf tissue. This enzyme regulates the
metabolism of carbon dioxide and enables the plant to make more efficient use of available levels
of CO2.
Silicon deficiencies often are indicated by malformation of young leaves and a failure of
pollination and fruit formation in many cases. Plants with silicon added to the nutrient formula
also show delayed leaf and flower senescence. The shelf life of cut flowers, specialty pot crops and
plugs is also extended. Leaves are thicker and darker green compared to those grown without
soluble silicon.
AWARD WINNINGFORMULAS
LIQUID PLANT FOOD
PRO-SERIES
Application Rates

 

[L-Immortal]

^^^ Good knowledge turbo, that post says it all

 

[turbolaser4528]

^^^ Good knowledge turbo, that post says it all

thank you kind sir

only $5 a bottle too ahhh!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Gro-Pro-Tekt-8-Ounces/dp/B001LD8F1G

 

[Carl Carlson]

Anybody else want to weigh in on that?

not if the grower doesn't use it in late flower. the need for it should be recognized early on anyways.

 

[KosmoKramer]

Didn't SilicaBlast get discontinued? Couldn't find any at the 2 hydro shops in my area, and one person there said it's no longer available.

 

[chr0nicxs]

I've been using Liquid Silicon in coc thruout the veh stage, I think it makes a difference. Stems seem thicker.

 

[GrnMtnGrwr]

So I picked up some Dyna-Gro Pro-Tekt... I'll be using it with GH Flora Micro and GH Flora Bloom... I've seen people mention adding the silica before anything else, and I've seen people say the same about the Micro... does anybody have any advice for what order to mix these in?

Edit: Wow... I have to use like twice as much PH Down with the added Pro-Tekt.

 

[vannuysorganic]

So it seems like everyone can agree on the importance of added silica. Personally i have tried almost every means of adding silica from BC silica blast, AN barricade, dynagro protek, also by adding higromite, dynarock to my coco.

I have found that by adding a silica stone to the mix it gives the constant supply of silica without the headaches of adding it to your res. I was a big fan of higromite but recently switched to dynarock fine and will never use anything else. The fine stone helps with drainage and also offers alot more stone surface area than the larger stones. Gone are the days of hollow weak stems.

 

[GrnMtnGrwr]

So it seems like everyone can agree on the importance of added silica. Personally i have tried almost every means of adding silica from BC silica blast, AN barricade, dynagro protek, also by adding higromite, dynarock to my coco.

I have found that by adding a silica stone to the mix it gives the constant supply of silica without the headaches of adding it to your res. I was a big fan of higromite but recently switched to dynarock fine and will never use anything else. The fine stone helps with drainage and also offers alot more stone surface area than the larger stones. Gone are the days of hollow weak stems.

What mediums have you added silica stone to? Did you need to change the PH of your nutes?

 

[Biatchzxz]

Ive been adding silica in liquid form
as well as rare earths powder form I 100% got good results stems were thicker leaves were
alwys upright not drooping. Everything felt tighter. But i've heard that it's def not a good thing to be taking huge rips of silica weed. Does It affect the taste. Even if only used in Veg?