Hopefully my silica and potash spray works better than using my good coats
Once the cold mornings start I feel like I should be going out and putting a big winter coat on some of my plants.
If you don’t have a winter coat big enough for your garden there are two products that work like a big coat - ‘Silica and Potash’ and ‘Envy’.
I love using the Plant of Health’s certified organic Silica and Potash Liquid Fertiliser on all my plants here at Trevallan and at home.
How does Silica and Potassium help with Cold Protection?
Silica and Potash by Plant of Health is product we use at Trevallan
Silica (Si)
Role in Frost Protection:
Cell Structure Strengthening: Silica deposits in plant tissues help strengthen cell walls, which can reduce the likelihood of cell rupture due to ice crystal formation.
Stress Tolerance: It helps in improving the overall stress tolerance of plants, including resistance to cold stress.
Water Retention: Silica helps improve water retention in plant cells, which can buffer against dehydration caused by freezing temperatures.
Potash (Potassium, K)
Role in Frost Protection:
Osmoregulation: Potassium plays a crucial role in osmoregulation, helping to maintain cell turgor pressure and reducing the likelihood of cell damage due to freezing.
Enzyme Activation: Potassium is essential for activating enzymes involved in stress responses and metabolism, which can help plants better manage cold stress.
Carbohydrate Movement: It aids in the transport of carbohydrates, which can act as antifreeze agents within the plant cells.
Combined Benefits of Liquid Silica and Potassium for Frost Protection
Silica is often more effective when applied as a foliar spray. This is because silica is less mobile in the soil and can be better absorbed directly through the leaves, leading to quicker and more targeted uptake by the plant. The same goes for Potassium, foliar feeding provides a rapid way to deliver potassium to plants, especially during critical growth stages or stress periods.
Together silica and potash can contribute to better cold tolerance by improving the physical and biochemical stability of plant cells and improve the overall health and resilience of the plant.
At Trevallan we use Plant of Health's Potash and Silica (certified organic and safe to use on your whole garden). I liquid feed the garden centre about once a month with this product. I put the liquid fertiliser into 'Birchy' and the whole garden centre is fertilised in about 20mins. During cold snaps I will do this fortnightly.
Envy is a frost protectorent and anti transpirant.
Envy is designed to prevent frost damage by providing a physical and/or chemical barrier that reduces ice nucleation (process by which ice crystals begin to form from supercooled water, a key factor in frost damage) on plant surfaces.
Envy once sprayed over a plant's foliage can increase frost tolerance by an additional 4 Degrees. It can also substantially reduce moisture losses by up to 50% and help eliminate sun & windburn damage.
Envy does not hinder plant growth or photosynthesis as it forms a semi-permeable membrane over the leaf surface, which still allows the plant to breathe. It is non-toxic, pH neutral and will biodegrade in sunlight.
It is recommended to use this as a foliar spray and reapply as new growth on the plants emerge.
Both products ‘Silica and Potash’ and ‘Envy’ can be applied as a foliage spray - mix the product with water and spray over the plant’s foliage.
Both need to be applied regularly for best results.