Why put Epsom salts on plants? Is Epsom Salt Good for Plants? Yes, Epsom salt helps improve flower blooming and enhances a plant’s
green color. It can even help plants grow bushier. Epsom salt is made up
of "hydrated magnesium sulfate" (magnesium and sulfur), which is
important to healthy plant growth. Even if you don’t believe in its effectiveness, it never hurts to
try it. Magnesium allows plants to better take in valuable nutrients,
like nitrogen and phosphorus. It also helps in the creation of
chlorophyll, which is vital for photosynthesis. In addition, magnesium
greatly improves a plant’s ability to produce flowers and fruit. If
the soil becomes depleted of magnesium, adding Epsom salt will help;
and since it poses little danger of overuse like most commercial
fertilizers, you can use it safely on nearly all your garden plants.
How to Water Plants with Epsom Salts? It’s easy. Simply
substitute it for regular watering either once or twice a month. Before applying Epsom salt, however, it’s a good
idea to have your soil tested to determine whether it’s deficient of
magnesium. You should also be aware that many plants, like beans and
leafy vegetables, will happily grow and produce in soils with low levels
of magnesium. Plants like rose, tomatoes and peppers, on the other
hand, require lots of magnesium; and therefore, are more commonly
watered with Epsom salt.
When diluted with water, Epsom salt is
easily taken up by plants, especially when applied as a foliage spray.
Most plants can be misted with a solution of 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt
per gallon of water once a month. For more frequent watering, every
other week, cut this back to one tablespoon.
With roses, you can
apply a foliage spray of 1 tablespoon per gallon of water for each foot
of the shrub’s height. Apply in spring as leaves appear and then again
after flowering.
For tomatoes and peppers, apply 1 tablespoon of
Epsom salt granules around each transplant or spray (1 tbsp. per gallon)
during transplanting and again following the first bloom and fruit set. One great article I found was"Fertilize with Epsom Salts" By: Charlie Nardozzi, it's a very good introductory into this subject!
Another benefit that I have found personally with using Epsom salt in the garden is as a "natural pesticide"
for snails and slugs around my hosta's and other shade loves. I mean
think about it, if you sprinkle salt on a slug what happens but if you
just sprinkle Epsom salts around the base of the plants, it deters the
slimy buggers!
It
has many other benefits but we are just sticking with the garden aspect
of it, here is a quick video to help get all of this stuck in your mind!
"Epsom Salts" with Dr. Bruce.
I hope you have a successful go with Epsom Salts and hopefully I can
remember some more of these old tricks that I saw used growing up!
Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go;even when he is old he will not depart from it."
