Does anyone use Silica supplement for fruit trees

General Fruit Growing
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I’ve started to use Silica supplement in my vegetable grow this year. I am using Dynagro ProTekt 1TSP/Gallon of water along with liquid fish fertilizer once a week. I pour a quart for plants in 8-10 gallon pots, a pint for 5 gallon pots and 2 or 3 quarts for plants in raised beds. I’ve noticed the leaves are leathery, and stems are thicker and less tender. Wondering if I can use this for fruit trees, it could be challenging to apply due the size of the tree and root system. I’d like to know if Silica supplement has been tried on fruit trees.

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@Oregon_Fruit_Grow
The first horticultural use of potassium silicate I’m aware of was for golf course greens. Next it started appearing in a chelate with zinc to increase the harvest weight of some tree nut crops. Some decades later a manufacturer started bottling it up for marijuana growers to increase bud weight – although it added a harsh taste as a side effect. About a decade ago a distributor in FL (?) started packaging the golf course formula as a protectant for crop trees against late Spring frosts. This latter use might have some application to row crops.

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I throw a little bit into my compost mix that I put around things in the spring, in the form of optisorb. I just mix a little into the compost along with whatever else.

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Optisorb is 100% Diatomaceous Earth, Silicon Dioxide.

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not the same silicate then! I think.

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whats the difference?

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Products like Pro-Tekt or Agsil16 are in plant absorbable form.

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I went through a similar discussion on a fig forum years ago, so this is from memory.

SiO2 comes in both crystalline and amorphous forms. Crystalline SiO2 (e.g., glass, sand) is biologically inert. Amorphous SiO2 is accessible, thought as I recall the process is slow and may require the intermediation of microorganisms.

Diatomaceous earth is mostly amorphous SiO2.

Maybe others can check, clarify, or amplify.

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@Richard what method would you recommend to feed the fruit trees. I am not a big fan of foiler sprays, perhaps I can sprinkle Agsil16 which is the powder form of Pro-Tekt solution around the tree and let it slowly work its way through the soil?

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@jrd51 do you have a link to this discussion on the fig forum.

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@Oregon_Fruit_Grow
I don’t supply any of my plants with a silicone supplement and I recommend you don’t either.

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Could you please elaborate why not to use it? is it harmful to plants or humans consuming the plant product?

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@Oregon_Fruit_Grow
It’s an unnecessary fad promoted by sellers that can degrade the quality of fruits and nuts.

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Thank you. I tend to agree with you on it being unnecessary, I have had excellent harvest without using it in the past. I started to use this this year because of the claims that it will help with pests and disease resistance. Although, I admit it that the leathery feeling when holding the leaf is addicting. Almost like holding a leaf from jade plant. lol

Edit: I haven’t had aphid infestation on my peppers and okra this year. I can’t tell if its because of Silica or just coincidental, my Hollywood plum though is devastated by aphids.

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@Oregon_Fruit_Grow
Twenty years ago I designed some fertilizer formulas – one of them (Fruit Fuel) containing all necessary minor- and micro-nutrients. Silicone was not among them.

This claim you are reading about pest control is another attempt by sellers to offer a pesticide product that has not been rigorously tested, licensed, and labeled for pesticide use.

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@Richard Thanks for your insights Richard. Is this the same Fruit Fuel you developed?

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Yes!

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I have used Silica Blast on young rooted fig trees, it makes them stronger trees, I have not used it on fig trees in the long term, or on any other type of plants. I am not sure what it could do beyond making a weak young tree a strong tree. By the way rice hulls have silica in it, and you could easily turn rice hulls in to dirt.

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No but I’ll try to find one.

FWIW, I tend to agree with Richard that silicon products are unnecessary. While I do use diatomaceous earth in my potting mix, I don’t depend on it. My “go to” source of silicon is compost. Both grasses (including rice, as mentioned) and many tree leaves (e.g., beech, maple) have a decent amount of amorphous silicon. Every year, I compost the grass and leaves that are chopped up in the mower in autumn. Not only is the blend high in accessible silicon, it also provides a nice mix of high and low N organic materials. The high N grass helps bacteria process the low N leaves.

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But is it in an ionic combination that plants will uptake?