Growth Technology SILICA 250ml

New to New Zealand from the clever team at Growth Technology comes GT Silica, known as 'Nature's Bodyguard'. Silica strengthens and protects plants. Making weaker, sensitive or variegated plant tissue stronger, helping protect against premature browning, building a protective barrier again biting and sucking pests and aiding recovery.
 

GT SIlica is now available in the new 250ml size (this size), or original 1 litre available here. One 5ml pipette included FREE with every GT order. 

Why give plants silica?

Silica is a natural powerhouse nutrient abundant outdoors but missing indoors. Adding Silica to your feeding routine gives indoor plants the protection that nature would normally provide, making plants stronger and hardier, both physically and by supporting stronger defences against pests, diseases and environmental stresses. It's like a bodyguard for your plants!

PS: This is the same brand of silica Professor Monstera recommends to “help you keep the whites from browning” on Monstera Albo, also used for other highly-variegated indoor plants.

Which plants need GT Silica?

All plants benefit from Silica but not all plants need it. Outdoors if you test your soil you may find silica in abundance due to soil water, however indoors silica is not naturally available. Silica can be used as a pro-active protectant for any plant not already getting silica naturally, or where soil water is deficient.

Silica can also be used defensively for plants under stress or attack, however is best used proactively 'little and often' as silica is not a mobile nutrient, meaning plants can't correct a deficiency by shifting silica within itself. Plants rely on their substrate to meet their silica needs. 


Silica also strengthens sensitive or weaker plants prone to stem weakness, browning and wilting, and helps plant's prone to attack by pests, fungus such as root rot, powdery mildew, leaf rot and other diseases.

Silica for premature browning in variegated plants

Silica offers more than just extra protection against browning in weaker, sensitive or variegated plants, but that's the most common benefit houseplant hobbyists know silica for.

Silica is most popular for highly variegated plants - such as Monstera Albo and Thai Constellation, Ficus Tineke, Manjula Pothos and similar - but can benefit all houseplants. 

When it comes to browning, silica is best used 'little and often' (as part of the weekly weakly method), as silica needs to be available if and when plants needs it for uptake via the roots.

Simply add a low dose of silica before your fertiliser, every time you water. Best used in combination with one of the GT Focus fertilisers as they are compatible for mix-feeding in the same water. GT Focus fertilisers are also gentle enough for sensitive and variegated plants.

The GT Focus fertiliser range also includes calcium. Calcium deficiency is another cause of premature browning yet most fertilisers include little or usually no calcium. GT Focus includes high calcium levels, right up at the 4th highest ingredient (where it should be!), to avoid deficiencies.

PS: No, you can't heal existing browning, but you can slow it down and reduce it spreading, and by adding silica every time you water, you can help prevent premature browning in the first place.  

Roots or foliage?

Silica is best made available to plants via the roots, but when more urgent action is required, use GT Foliar which provides a boost of silica as a foliar spray for more immediate uptake, then continue with GT Silica long-term provided through the roots. 

What's in GT Silica?

A concentrated blend of silicic acid and potassium hydroxide (called potassium silicate). Considered the superior form of silica for plants. 

Silica for environmental stress

Plants deposit silica in their cell walls, strengthening roots, stems and leaves, acting as a protective barrier between the plant and the environment. Silica increases physical strength for plants prone to weak stems, browning, drooping or wilting leaves. The protective barrier also helps plants handle water and temperature stress. Reducing the impact of under- and over-watering as well as extreme hot or cold temperatures.

Silica for pests

Silica is part of nature’s defence system against pests that feed on roots, stems and leaves, such as fungus gnat larvae, mealybugs and root mealies, aphids, thrips and spider mites.

As well as making the external barrier harder for pests to penetrate and feed, silica also makes plants less palatable and harder to digest, slowing insect growth and reproduction.

Silica's been shown to more quickly block the flow of sap when a plant is under attack from sucking insects like aphids and mealybugs. Plants have also been shown to continue to send silica to damaged areas after the threat is gone, so silica is also thought to assist with faster recovery.

Directions for use

How much?

Mix up to 5ml GT Silica to 1 litre water (to maintain 20ppm silica). Use less - from 1ml per 1 litre water - if there are existing silica sources in your water or substrate (5mls is full strength). If using every time you water (the weakly weekly method), use 3mls per 1 litre water.


Although the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust, a component of most rocks, the concentration of silica in soil water is not that high (rocks don’t tend to be all that soluble). Silica concentration in soil water generally doesn’t get above 20ppm (the level GT Silica maintains at the 5ml dose).


Silicates are very alkaline in their concentrated form in the bottle. Either wear gloves when handling the liquid, or take care not to spill on your skin (or clothes). It's best to just use a pipette (supplied free) to get how much you need straight from the bottle. Safety data sheet available here.


Add Silica separate to your nutrient solution, or if mix-feeding, always add silica first, stir, wait 15 minutes, stir again then add your GT Focus fertiliser of choice to the mix before watering roots. 

How often?

Silica is not a mobile nutrient. Plants rely on a regular supply. For best results, add GT Silica every time you water or every week.