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I just wanted to say that the Bentonite/Montmorillonite product Agriton produces, Edasil, contains 56% SiO2. So it is very rich in silica.
How soluble it is, i dont know but my guess is that it is available for roots quite fast as the recommendations to apply it 2x year.
And the product has many other benefits, like a really high CEC value, very usable in a living soil, and it also helps with water retention, et cetera. It is precisely the type of clay you want in your living soil.
I use both Edasil and Vulkamin to everything i grow and in huge amounts, about 2-4% of the complete soil mix, before ferts are applied as i see them as amendments even if both products got lots of K, Fe, Ca, and so on in them.
Liquid works fast! I've been using Cutting Edge brand (probably the most expensive) and am amazed how it rapidly affects plant stature during veg.
I also like liquid for foliar application, but I don't have science to justify any treatment method or another. Maybe foliar delivers the Si quicker, and is less expensive per treatment--but maybe soil fed liquid Si could still be the most dramatically effective. Anyone else feel more secure with data?
Couldn't this all be cleared up by confirming that perlite is a good source, in high amounts and soluble/available? Perlite is 70% Silicon Dioxide. Wikipedia says some of this is amorphous as someone had suggested it should be. As most people have high amounts between 30-40% of the mix and a good amount of mine is very fine and small particles and even 20% of it is powdered from being crushed in the bags, I would think I have this covered in my mixes.
I'd think the heating involved in perlite would not help make a reactive surface. It might be a good idea to look for any data showing plant available silicon in things you're sure have it. A lot has been posted here on the subject, real analyses.