Epsom salt

[desertlady]

I have always known they use Epsom salts for garden, but I never knew how it helps the garden! How much do you use? do you sprinkle it around the garden? or disolved in water? I am afraid to try because I dont know if they can get salt burn .

 

[bjanet]

The Jerry Baker garden tips talk about using magnesium as an amendment when you have raised beds...I guess for all gardens also. I have raised beds and when I turn them over in early spring, adding compost, I add about 3/4 cup of Epsom salts for a 64 square foot bed.
I mix in some 10-10-10 fertilizer at the same time.

 

[lesa]

I usually add about a tablespoon to each hole that I dig for tomato plants. I mix it with the dirt- just in case of the burning danger. Not sure how much good it does, but I figure it is cheap and it doesn't take long to add a little. I added crushed egg shells last year, too. Again- nothing amazing happened....

 

[so lucky]

I think I will get some and water it into my tomato plantings. One of the Romas has fruit already. I used a lot of crushed egg shells in the holes about a month before planting, but don't know if this would be enough.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Supposedly one of the purposes for the magnesium is to help the plant get and use the calcium correctly, so it helps prevent blossom end rot. I sometimes mix a tablespoon of Epsom Salts in with the dirt in the hole before I plant tomatoes. peppers, and eggplant, but lately I've just been sprinkling some in the whole row and mixing it in before I set out any plants just so I can keep it from bein\g concentrated and better spread it out.

I don't know if or how much it helps. Since I started using it, mulching the tomatoes to control moisture, and composting my egg shells to help provide extra calcium, I have had a lot less blossom end rot, but I don't knwo how much of that is due to the Epsom Salts or the other things.

 

[digitS']

This is chlorophyll: C, H, O, N, Mg (in varying amounts of each). That is: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Magnesium.

Carbon from the air . . . Hydrogen & Oxygen from water . . . Nitrogen from the soil . . . That leaves, Magnesium. And, that, ladies and gentlemen, is chlorophyll .

DL, before I would put any Epsom salts on your desert soil, I'd want some kind of soil analysis. Magnesium isn't often in short supply and I can imagine that in a low-rainfall part of the world, it may be abundantly available. Make a phone call to your local Cooperative Extension office("Click on a county to get local information").

My 2 . . .

Steve

 

[desertlady]

Thanks Steve, I have not use it, I probably will not unless something came up !

 

[pepero]

many people in our area have used it for yellowing leaves. as for me i cant say for sure if it works. however, i will be using some today. jon

 

[vfem]

Now I have read conflicting information on epsom salts. Some say they have no use, most soils are lacking in magnesium and most plants have no use for it anyways that would affect flowering or production. While others say the opposite and that's its good to offer the plant what it lacks, but magnesium is hard for plants to absorb so offering it to them closer to the root is the best option.

Decided to google it more.... and in the end I decided, you can't prove it helps but it sure doesn't hurt, so I'm going to do it.

In the end, my grandmother always used it on her roses and I use it in my garden for sure. I dillute it in water for my potted plants a couple times throughout the season. For the roses I do it directly in the ground by rubbing it into the surface soil around the root ball.

From reading I did find that its not good for sage though, it can kill the plant. However, I never fertilize or offer anything to my herbs anyways. They seem to thrive in any condition I have those in.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i've used it on my roses too. it's usually a once a year thing though. this is why the seaside roses seem to do so well on this coast, they are practically growing in the ocean or right on the cliffs next to the water!

i'll have to remember to use it this year with my tomatoes and peppers. i've had some issues with them the past couple of years but that might be because we've had soggy springs and wet summers. :/