Epsom Salt

[SweetMissDaisy]

Hi All!
I've read on several threads to dress yellowing plants with an Epsom Salt/Water mixture ... but I have yet to read what the ratio is, even though it gets asked for on almost all threads Epsom is mentioned.

I thought I would start a new thread, and put the question right out there...

What is the ratio suggested for Epsom/Water applications ...
What would be suggested for, example, a fruit producing age tomato or cucumber plant?

Surprise!! I have a few yellowing plants I would like to try applying Epsom to ... any/all recommendations would be helpful!

Thanks!
-Anna.

 

[digitS']

Anna, I have used Epsom salts once - to try to deter rabbits from eating my lettuce. The result was a disaster! My soil is a fairly high pH and I think all I did was boost the pH even higher. The plants survived but were unusable.

If your soil is deficient in magnesium, naturally or because of the continuous growing of crops, it would probably makes sense to use Epsom salts - providing that the pH is within appropriate range. Here are some serious cautions from Washington State University on the use of Epsom salts. Note what the horticulturalist says about using a balanced fertilizer instead. WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center

Here is something from the University of Minnesota Extension Service on peppers. You can find advice on using Epsom salts along with the information on fertilizing.

I hope that helps.

Steve

 

[vfem]

I have been using about 1/2 tablespoon per gallon on wilting/struggling tomatoes, vines and potted plants only.

I don't remember where I saw that... but I was afraid of over doing it.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Thanks for the info (links), Steve. I've read through them once, and will take time to read through them again. The plant I am having issues with is a cucumber. It is planted in a container, and I'm wondering if it just doesn't have enough soil to support the root system. I think what I might do is move it to a place in the garden where I can push aside the straw mulch, set the container on the soil, and see if the roots will take to the soil through the little holes in the bottom of the container. ... and I might add a bit more soil to the top of the container as well. It's upper growth is nice and green, it's setting blooms and looks good on the top 2/3 of the plant, but the lower 1/3 is the part that is concerning. It just seems "too" yellow.

We're FINALLY getting some rain here in our part of central TX ... we're in a weird area that the storms like to circle around. A 4 year drought has done a lot of damage to the soils here. In fact, this is the first time I've even considered putting in a garden here, in the four years that I've lived here. And I'm determined to make something of it, no matter how small that "something" might be!

Thanks again for the info ... cheers to ya!

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I have been using about 1/2 tablespoon per gallon on wilting/struggling tomatoes, vines and potted plants only.

I don't remember where I saw that... but I was afraid of over doing it.

Thanks!

 

[justpete]

Has anyone tried this?

Tomato Fertilizer
1 can of Beer 10oz.
1 cup Epsom Salts
1/2 cup of Ammonia ( be careful this stuff is bad news )
2 cups of water

Mix all four ingredients and put in a storage container

Add 1 ounce of this mixture per gallon of water when watering your tomatoes. Only use once in a 2 week period. Use 1/2 gal per 3 ft. in height plants.


Peter