This gardening season I am watering liberally with Epsom salt. It's one of those old wives tales that I heard somewhere, at some unknown time. This year it surfaced in my brain and I decided to try it. I am just putting a teaspoon in the large watering can and watering the plants. This is just like planting the banana. A partial, faded memory with no clear direction if I am doing it right or wrong.
So far the results have been mixed. Some of the plants have perked up considerably. Of course it could just be that I am watering them. But the roses, and peonies seem happy, and filled with blooms. The upside down hanging tomato is way bigger and bushier than the ground tomato. This is the largest and most solid crop of milkweed I have ever had. The spearmint is growing taller and sturdier than is reasonable. The porch ferns are a little over four feet tall now so I am expecting that they will top my five foot height soon. The rhubarb seems to appreciate it and has had a recent growth spurt. My other herbs don't seem to care and are just being normal.
From the internet, I finally looked it up. I learned that using Epsom salts in gardens is not new and farmers learned long ago that magnesium sulfate fed plants become greener. The magnesium helps plants to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Which in turn helps in the creation of chlorophyll, vital for photosynthesis and leads to the plant having more healthy blooms and fruit.
So magnesium is one of the nutrients plants need to grow but, it's a minor nutrient which means plants don't need very much of it. The sulfate consists of sulfur and oxygen but it is also only a minor nutrient for plants.
According to what I read, we should all have our soil tested in the spring so we will know what needs to be replenished for better gardens. Farmers rotate their crops but home gardeners have a strong tendency to plant once and then leave it alone until the plant makes its unhappiness known by not blooming or growing.
Fortunately, for me, Epsom salt cannot be over done and its safe for almost all plants. I have been adding a teaspoonful to the water every other day or so. Now I learn I'm only supposed to be adding it to the water once or twice a month at the most. Oops!
I also learned that my beans, kale and lettuce are perfectly happy and prefer soil with low levels of magnesium. That could explain a lot! Roses, tomatoes and peppers love magnesium. This could be a good thing but perhaps its time to put the bottle of Epsom salts back in the cabinet.
These are the directions on how to use Epsom salt in your garden correctly from the web site https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/epsom-salt-gardening.htm
When diluted with water, Epsom salt is easily taken up by plants, especially when applied as a foliar spray. Most plants can be misted with a solution of 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of Epsom salt per gallon of water once a month. For more frequent watering, every other week, cut this back to 1 tablespoon (15 mL). With roses, you can apply a foliar 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. or 30 mL per gallon) during transplanting and again following the first bloom and fruit set.
Happy gardening!
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FAQs
Verdict: Unless you have a magnesium deficiency in your garden, there is no need to add Epsom salts. Doing so could even be harmful to soil, plants and water.
What plants should you not use Epsom salts on? ›
What Plants Don't Like Epsom Salt?
- Beans and leafy vegetables.
- Coniferous trees.
- Tropical palms don't like Epsom salt, either.
- Insect-eating plants such as Pitcher plants, sundews and Venus flytraps are other plants that do not like Epsom salt. They've adapted to growing in poor soils and even a little can kill them.
It is, indeed, natural and organic but will cause severe irritation if it gets in your eyes. And too much can kill your plants. Epsom salts can dehydrate soil, as you might imagine is true of anything with the word “salt” in its name.
How much Epsom salt per gallon of water for tomato plants? ›
In soils with a pH of 6.5 or higher Epsom salts can be helpful to plants. Dilute the Epsom salt at a rate of 2 tbsp per gal. of water. This can be applied as a drench to the roots or sprayed onto the plant foliage.
Do tomatoes like Epsom salt? ›
Fact! Epsom salts are a great way of adding magnesium directly to your tomatoes and to the soil. Invest in a soil test kit so that you can ensure your tomatoes are getting the right amount of nutrients throughout the growing season.
Can you mix Epsom salt with Miracle-Gro? ›
Use Epsom Salt for Big Garden Yields
To grow huge flowers (and lots of veggies), I use Epsom salt for my garden. Mix 6 tablespoons Epsom salts and 6 tablespoons Miracle-Gro fertilizer in the hand sprayer attached to my garden hose, says Birds & Blooms reader Juanita Scalia.
What does baking soda do for plants? ›
Baking soda's supposed anti-fungal properties have been spread around for many years as a natural home remedy to treat fungal infections, including black spot, powdery mildew, and a multitude of other fungi. When applied to plant leaves and stems, baking soda does slow or stop the growth of fungi.
What vegetables like Epsom salt? ›
3 Plants That Benefit From Epsom Salt
- Pepper plants: Peppers need extra magnesium, especially if you grow them in pots. ...
- Roses: Rose bushes benefit from the magnesium in Epsom salt. ...
- Tomato plants: While some Epsom salt can benefit vegetables and can help increase the flavor profile, too much can lead to blossom end rot.
Coffee grounds have a high nitrogen content, along with a few other nutrients plants can use. In compost, they help create organic matter that improves the ability of soil to hold water. It's best to add coffee grounds, not whole beans, to compost.
What does vinegar do to plants? ›
The acetic acid of vinegar dissolves the cell membranes resulting in desiccation of tissues and death of the plant. While this sounds like a splendid outcome for the plague of weeds invading your yard, I suspect you wouldn't be quite as thrilled if vinegar as herbicide were to damage your perennials or garden veggies.
Coffee grounds are packed with nutrients that tomato plants love, like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. They help improve soil structure and promote microbial activity, which can lead to healthier, more robust tomato plants. Plus, they may even help deter certain pests.
What plants don't like coffee grounds? ›
Not all plants like coffee grounds because they are slightly acidic, contain caffeine and are nitrogen-rich. Some plants that won't thrive in these conditions include vegetables like Chinese mustard, grasses like Italian ryegrass, rosemary, lavender and flowering plants like geraniums.
Do peppers like Epsom salt? ›
Please note that Epsom salt can be used with any plant, except for varieties sage. Consult your local gardener for more information about best practices. Epsom salt can be especially beneficial to vegetable gardens with tomatoes and peppers.
Can I put Epsom salt directly on soil? ›
Epsom salts can also be added to water and used as a soil drench, watering the plant at the soil level. When planting, you can add Epsom salts directly to the soil, or work it into the soil without diluting it in water first.
What outdoor plants benefit from Epsom salt? ›
3 Plants That Benefit From Epsom Salt
- Pepper plants: Peppers need extra magnesium, especially if you grow them in pots. ...
- Roses: Rose bushes benefit from the magnesium in Epsom salt. ...
- Tomato plants: While some Epsom salt can benefit vegetables and can help increase the flavor profile, too much can lead to blossom end rot.
If you're looking for an easy vegetable to add to your garden, cucumbers are the way to go. They're fast to grow and will leave you with piles of cucumbers by the end of the season. Although, if you really want a bountiful harvest this year, you should give your plants Epsom salt.
How to apply Epsom salt to hostas? ›
I also like to mix a couple tablespoons of Epsom Salts to my liquid fertilizer. Hostas love magnesium and therefore enjoy a shower of Epsom Salts. It easily dilutes in some warm water and can be mixed with any liquid fertilizer.
Does Epsom salt make ferns greener? ›
Super-short science lesson: Epsom salt contains high levels of the micronutrients magnesium and sulfur, essential elements for plants that help them grow, produce more flowers, and increase chlorophyll production (which makes them greener!).
