Silica plant food

[Lawrence]

I have been reading about a plant food which goes under the brand name Hortisil, described as a Silica based product and regarded as” the forgotten nutrient “. Its claims are Increased resistance to attack by fungi and insects, Decreased effects from powdery mildew, amongst others. A discussion on a Facebook post from about 4 years ago also stated it was giving good resistance to attacks by root aphid on Primulas. With further investigation I find the price is £85, far too expensive for an honorary Yorkshireman like myself .
Has anyone ever used this or could you recommend a more “ Yorkshire friendly “ silica based product?

[Maggi Young]

This paper may be of interest to those who have not considered this supplement:
https://ojs.lib.unideb.hu/IJHS/article/view/9096


I searched "silicon as a horticultural feed" and came up with a large selection of options- noone of them particularly inexpensive!  https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=silicon%20as%20a%20horticultural%20feed&qs=n&form=QBIR&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=silicon%20as%20a%20horticultural%20feed&sc=10-31&cvid=BE243C1E41B9439CA87B9174F0837F8B&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&first=1
Some tyoes come in small packs which do not cost a great deal and may be worth experimentation.

[partisangardener]

I have a bag of powdered silicon. Was once 40ty kilos and cost then about 20ty € the sack. 50ty cent a kilo.
I believe it was for pottery used.
But wear a mask when working with it. In your lungs it will stay forever. (Silicosis)
I did use it for plants: aphids disappear and maybe leafs are getting harder.

[Vinny 123]

Silicon is an element and looks like a crstalline metal - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon (which contains masses of other information. It is not especially hazardous to health).

Silica is silicon dioxide - routinely referred to as "sand", as in a beach or with cement to make mortar. It actually comes in countless forms, some hazardous to health, some not and different forms, not least diatomaceous earths, drift in and out of being hazardous in legislation. A great deal is made industrially for use as fillers, flatting agents (in paints) and thickeners.
Diatomaceous earths have many and various uses and were until recently, probably still are, sold as dusting powder for poultry housing (for instance), to control things like mites, although personally, I would not bother wasting money.
Sand is essentially insoluble in water by any normal measure, but various forms are minutely so and enough so that they are taken up by plants and animals - the stinging hairs of many plants are made from silica.

Silicones are hydrocarbon molecules that have silicon in theim - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicone

The differences are huge but the names so alike that people habitually use them essentially inter-changably.