Using Epsom Salts in a garden.....

Junkman · May 30, 2005

The wife brought home a 4 pound package of Epsom Salts and on the back it had more uses for it in the garden than for sprains and soaking in it. Has anyone any experience with Epsom Salts????? The package says to water with it, spread it on the lawn, in the flower and vegetable garden... Almost makes it sound like a magic cure for all that ills your gardens..

JoeDizzy · May 30, 2005

I too, am interested in hearing what folks have experienced with Espon salt. I just put some around the tomato plants in effort to help with bottom-rot that we had last year. An old farmer told me that espon salts will alleviate this problem. An old wise-tale or will it work?

Av8r3400 · May 30, 2005

Seriously, Junkman. How do you come up with this stuff?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Glenn9643 · May 30, 2005

While I've never read the recommendations on the packaging, I have used it in the garden on tomatoes and peppers. I don't know if it helped much with the tomatoes, but the difference in the pepper plants was night and day! Many people swear by it helping roses...
Like anything else, you can get too much of a good thing. The epson salts provides magnesium. A soil test will tell if it's needed. Or, as in my case, your pepper plants are yellowing up and not growing as they should so you say to heck with it and sprinkle some around, and water it in.

Hakim · May 31, 2005

We use it all the time on our house plants. The acids accumulate over time when you fertilize houseplants. Magneisum deficiency happens when the acidic level builds up. Works in outside gardens too. Mainly used on peppers, tomatoes and roses.

Here is a link to a lot of info on the reasons why for Epson Salts, plus exaclty how and when to apply. Very interesting.

All About Epson Salts

daedong · May 31, 2005

Citrus is one of the plant that show early sighs mag deficiency. look for yellowing of leaf with inverted V of green at the base. foliar sprays of 1kg mag to 100l of water

SPIKER · May 31, 2005

I've used it on my indoor plants, (mainly citrus trees I had some up to ceiling in 26" pots. my last one died a year or so back as I didn't get it outside in the summer it goot too BIG I got it inside in the fall 20 months back but barely and broke some branches. then bugs got on it and ate it up in a short time... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif it was at least 15 yrs old and was kept pruned to smaller size but had a 4" trunk... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

anyhow it does work wonders and I was thinking that I'll need some for the tomatos & peppers this yr in the garden myself as they did terrable last yr. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

MarkM

PineRidge · May 31, 2005

Junk I use Epsom Salts on a regular basis. Whenever I have a big job to do in the garden later that same day I soak in Epsom Salts in the tub. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Did I say that the stuff really works for aches and pains? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

sassafraspete · May 31, 2005

Thanks for the link Hakim. I just purchased a couple of cartons (like milk cartons) of epsom salts last week for putting on my tomatoes. (got them at Lowes). I usually sprinkle a small handful around my tomato plants and then work it in. Hadn't thought of spraying it on. I will have to experiment this year.

sassafraspete

shawnrogan · Jun 1, 2005

From what I remember from Botany class 15 years ago, the instructor recommended epsom salt as a "fertilizer" instead of the more expensive miracle grow type products because epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, a key compound for plant life. I told my dad about this great discovery as a way of making him feel good about his $ spent on my environmental degree and he has been using this stuff ever since (with great success).