Epsom salt
Epsom salt is also called as “Magnesium sulfate” and is favorite for gardeners as it has myriad uses in the garden. It is a chemical compound or inorganic salt containing magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen and can be used both internally and externally.
It is perfect for organic gardening and helps to enhance plants green color, improves flower blooming. Magnesium in Epsom salt allows plants to take valuable nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. It also helps in creating chlorophyll for plants during photosynthesis process.
Epsom salt is inexpensive, safe and easy to apply. It works better for bacterial and fungal problems and improves the overall health of the garden.
Epsom salt with water
Epsom salt is highly soluble in water. Add Epsom salt to the water and sprinkle it on plants. You can water the plants once or twice a month. Epsom salt in the soil can be washed away by an amount of heavy rainfall or water.
Before applying Epsom salt, it’s better to test the soil for magnesium deficiency. Plants like beans and leafy vegetables grow joyfully with low levels of magnesium in the soil. Whereas plants like tomatoes and peppers require lots of magnesium and hence watered with Epsom salt.
Improves seed germination
All seeds have the same requirement like water, air, and sunlight for germination. Start sowing seeds at indoors with a soilless mix. Using Epsom salt will boost the plant growth from the seed coat.
Magnesium in salt helps to strengthen cell walls, seedlings and reduce fungal diseases. For this mix 2 teaspoons of Epsom salt into the soil before dropping seeds to germinate quickly.
Increase nutrient absorption
Those who are using organic materials to feed garden, adding Epsom salt to the soil improves nutrient absorption levels naturally thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
Green up foliage
If leaves turn yellow in color, it might be due to magnesium deficiency in plants. Magnesium is the essential component in the production of chlorophyll pigment. To green up the foliage sprinkle Epsom salt about 2-3 teaspoons around the plants that benefit vegetable garden, trees, flowers, shrubs, and grasses.
Prevents leaf curling
Leaf curling is a plant disease characterized by curling of leaves. It is mainly caused by fungus and genus taphrina. Infections may lead to severe damage to the leaves during the spring season. Mix 2 teaspoons of salt in a gallon of water. Apply solution directly to the plant leaves to prevent leaf curling.
Deter garden pests
Epsom salt will not kill slugs and snails like table salt but still, it can keep pests away from garden plants. When hydrated magnesium sulfate is sprinkled around plants, pests feels irritating and moves away from that area.
Sweeten fruits
Producing fruits is the difficult process in the life cycle of a plant. Apply Epsom salt to plant bushes and vines in equal amounts to improve oxidation levels inside the plant cells. It results in the plant to produce sweet and healthy fruits.
Tastier tomatoes
Tomatoes are the most popular crop plants. Tomato plants have high magnesium or sulfur deficiency when considered fruit to plant size ratio. For this reason, feed tomato plants with Epsom salt twice as other plants. Vines are prone to calcium deficiency and fertilizers compete with magnesium for root absorption.
To prevent the deficiency symptoms, foliar feed plants with Epsom instead of adding it to the soil. Water plant vines with 2 teaspoons of Epsom mixed with a gallon of water for every 2-3 weeks to sweeten tomatoes.
Peppers
Peppers are another popular garden plants with high magnesium or sulfur deficiency. Pepper plants should feed with magnesium and sulfur regularly to attain healthy growth. Applying Epsom salt to peppers results in seed germination, plant growth, and high yielding.
For hot peppers, over-watering can limit the heat and add Epsom salt to the plant to ensure the growth.
Beautiful roses
Feeding rose plants with Epsom salt make the flowers vibrant; deep colored and also improves the strength of the plants. Rose plant should be fed with salt at the time of planting and flowering. Adding too much of Epsom will not harm plants as ph of magnesium sulfate is neutral.
Soak bare-root roses in water containing Epsom salt before planting.
Other Applications
Epsom salt has numerous applications in health, beauty, household, and gardening.
Health Benefits
- Relieves pain, muscle cramps and nerves function properly.
- It helps to prevent hardening of arteries and blood clot.
- Eliminates toxins from the body.
Beauty
Epsom salt helps to remove dead skin, blackheads and acts as the face cleanser.
Household
It is used to clean bathroom tiles and acts as detergent for cleaning clothes and as a hand wash.
Gardening
Epsom salt in gardening is used to fertilize houseplants, keep the lawn green and as insecticide spray.
Recommended readings:
- 12 Best Medicinal Herbs Indoors
- Best Plants To Keep In Your Bedroom To Help You Sleep
- Growing Tomatoes – How to grow tomato plant at Home
- The Simplest Ways to Make the Best of Bell Pepper Plants
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