Cold Weather Plant Protectants

Hopefully my silica and potash spray works better than using my good coats

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 Envy.

 

How does Silica and Potassium help?

Silica and Potash by Plant of Health is product we use at Trevallan

Silica and Potash by Plant of Health is product we use at Trevallan

Silica is very important to the general health of plants. Plants deprived of Silica are structurally weaker and more prone to pest and disease attack. Liquid Silica can help strengthen plants’ cell walls and can also assist in the UPTAKE of nitrogen, Potassium, and trace elements. This ultimately makes your plants stronger and healthier.

Plants that lack adequate moisture in their cells or are generally unhealthy are more likely to be damaged from wind and frost. Plants with adequate levels of Potassium can help plants' cells retain moisture. Liquids containing potassium also have a lower freezing points. So that means that plants with adequate levels of Potassium can lower the freezing point of the cells which means they can maintain their cell functionality.

If Silica and Potassium are used in conjunction with a regular fertilising regime your plants should experience improved growth, flowering and fruit count and better leaf colour. They should be more resistant to pest and fungal attack and suffer less from transplanting shock. Most importantly though regular applications of Silica and Potassium should reduce cold and frost damage.

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.

 

What is Envy?

Envy is a frost protectorate and anti transpirant.

Envy is a frost protectorent and anti transpirant.

Envy is a frost protectorent and anti transpirant.

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 Liquid Silica 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.