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Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Has anyone ever tried using Potassium Silicate, or sodium silicate sprayed on as a foliar to help prevent an outbreak of powdery mildew on their pumpkin plants, and if so what effects did you observe having used this product. Were the effects beneficial, or detrimental ??? Any input on this topic would helpful..Thanks JK.....

8/10/2004 2:59:36 AM

Phoenix, AZ

yes, I have used it. Check my diary for more details but here is what happened...

I applied pot. silicate a few days before a weeks vacation. I got back, so say 14 days of new growth since my application of potassium silicate. All new growth was covered in PM and my older leaves NEVER showed signs of PM. The stuff really works. In addition, with my plant in 105 F weather, there was hardly any wilt. The plant for sure was stronger because of my application.

8/12/2004 3:50:54 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Thanks for the reply hot pumpkin,I have been using the stuff for 2 seasons now and it seems to be a good method of prevention as it has kept the powdery mildew at bay pretty well this season considering our growing conditions this season, as my leaves are wet nearly every nite for the past 2 months, and are just now showing small traces of disease, which will push me into using a systemic fungicide from this point on due to our ongoing miserable conditions...Potassium silicate from what I have observed seems to work as a good prevention method for sustained miserable conditions....good luck ....JK....

8/13/2004 2:34:56 AM