Epsom Salts for Plants: How to Apply and Encourage Growth

Epsom salts for plants are a rich source of nutrients and various good chemicals that are either not present in the soil or hard for a plant to produce. These salts have a lot more benefits than just enhancing the growth of any plant to which they are added.

This is why these salts are now commercially available for use in gardens, homes, or industries, for various reasons. In this article, we will take you through the best way to use Epsom salts for plants and argue against the Epsom salt garden myth.

How To Use Epsom Salts for Plants and Their Growth?

You can use Epsom salts for plants by first picking the right vegetation, and testing the nature of your soil, making the solution of it or getting it in powdered form, and lastly by spraying or sprinkling the salt on the plant.

Epsom salt has a high concentration of magnesium and a little bit of sulfur as well. It has a distinct role in growing and harvesting plants that give us fruits and vegetables. The reason behind it is that Epsom salt increases the number of fruits on a plant, gives the fruit a more pronounced taste, and increases the fruit’s size.

All of the things mentioned are what every gardener wants in their harvest and not only gardeners but food processing industries as well.

1. Pick Your Vegetation

You must first go ahead and pick the plant that you wish to use this salt, the powder can be sprinkled all around the base of the tree or the plant for absorption where, as the solution is generally sprayed on the exposed roots and leaves. Another potent form of Epsom salt is Ultra Epsom salt, which increases flower and fruit production.

You can use it for trees to produce more fruit that is bigger, sweeter, and tastier. The salt can also be used for nut trees, shrubs, and other green instead of only fruit trees. The salt should be given periodically.

Epsom salt has been used for vegetation since long ago because of all the added benefits and perks it offers. You can use the salt in two major ways: either in powder form or in solution form. Note that any plant which is carnivorous in nature should not be given Epsom salt.

This category of plants includes Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, sundews, and some other insect-eating plants. These plants will die and lose their integrity when fed, so keep in mind the following if you wonder what plants don’t like Epsom salt.

The reason behind it is that such plants are grown in mineral-depleted soil, and even the smallest amounts of salt in the soil or on the plant will destroy their systems. That is why such plants should also not be given any sort of fertilizers or external feeds for growth. They will grow in the conditions that they find best, but remember that you should know the plant you are applying it on.

2. Test Your Soil

A very important step in using Epsom salt for vegetative plants is testing the soil. This is done to ensure the amounts of magnesium in the soil, as Epsom salt is basically a high-concentration magnesium source.

Still, knowing this, it is very easy to use as it can be found in any of the normal or gardening shops. This salt can even be used in gardens with no fruits at all as it increases the overall health of the garden and grass production.

If the soil has a good amount of magnesium in it, it is dangerous to use more magnesium as it will only destroy the soil and cause the water to percolate. This is why when you test it, you must check the amount that is already present so that you would boost the growth and not harm it. The soil can be taken to a nearby lab or tested using mechanical soil concentration checkers.

In the case, the soil is low in magnesium, we can use these salts because it will not harm the crops or plants that you are applying; on the contrary, in this case, the applied salt will increase the magnesium concentration of the soil and will cause the plants to increase their production.

One should not assume that the growth and production will be ten times more than what they used to be, but you will see a comparatively increased concentration of the product.

Another important point to remember here is that if the soil shows alarming amounts of magnesium, it is better to treat your soil before even adding the Epsom salt. The high amounts of this mineral may be the reason that your plants are not growing well, and you are looking to add the salt for better growth of the plants.

3. Prepare and Measure it

You must be very detailed when you are ready to apply this salt, and this is because there are two ways that you can use Epsom salt. One way is to use the salt as a powder which is readily available in the shops. This is also a more convenient way as you do not need to use any other tool. The second way is to make a solution of this rich salt and to apply it properly.

The most commonly recommended dosage of Epsom salt for plants is one tablespoon, heaped, in one gallon of water, and add both ingredients to a spray bottle with a nozzle. Shake the bottle well until all the salt is dissolved, and in such a simple manner, this is the way to prepare the solution. Yet, don’t add more than the given measurement, because if so, it may cause harm to the soil.

Any concentration higher than a tablespoon is dangerous for plants given at a time. Epsom salt is magnesium and its higher concentrations in the plants and the surrounding soil can cause more problems. The appropriate dosage is one tablespoon with or without water.

The same goes for any of the salt that is given from the outside as a spray or as a powder. If the recommended dosage is increased, the salt will cause the soil to become highly salinated and cause havoc on the plant and its roots. So the best use of Epsom in any case is within the recommended dosage of one tablespoon.

On another note, remember that the shelf life of this solution is long, so even if some of it is left behind, you do not need to throw it away necessarily. If you decide to discard it, make sure to do that where there is no vegetation because if sprayed on it, it will seep through the soil, increasing the overall magnesium content which may be unwanted.

4. Apply The Salt

The last step in the process of using Epsom salt for plants is to apply it, which is why if you have decided to go with the powder, take some in your hands and start sprinkling it on the roots and the soil.

Make sure to wear a glove and a mask so that it accidentally does not get into your air passageways. As the roots are buried deep in, sprinkling it and then lightly patting it in will give the roots a good chance to absorb it.

The other method is to use this salt in its solution form, so now you should take the spray bottle and start spraying the roots, surrounding soil, and plant leaves. Be very careful not completely to drench the soil and cause overwatering problems. The salt results will not be instantly visible, but the plants and the soil bed will take some time to adapt to this new addition of magnesium and sulfur.

It may take several weeks in some cases to see the effects of the salt in full throttle. In some cases, you may only see the difference once the fruit is harvested and consumed. Do not make haste in judging the effect of this given salt as the here-mentioned benefits may not occur, keeping in view the nature of the soil, the seeds used for seed germination, the climatic conditions, and the care given.

FAQ

– Can I Use Epsom Salt With Fertilizers on My Plants?

No, you cannot use Epsom salt in addition to or with your fertilizers on your plants because this combination can be bad for both, the soil and the plant. The reason behind it is that too much magnesium from both sources will damage your soil’s chemistry.

This salt is high in magnesium, and fertilizers also have magnesium in them. In this way, when soil or plants have double the amount of magnesium than normal, the plant and the soil will react negatively toward it.

The increased amounts of magnesium will cause the water to percolate through the soil, which will not be beneficial for anyone. If the salt and the fertilizer are given in turns, then there is a thicker chance of the plant being in a very good condition.

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about how you can use this salts for plants, but in case something was unclear, here is a quick review of all the important bits in the article:

• You can use Epsom salts for plants by first testing the nature of your soil; this is a great way to increase the magnesium and sulfur content of the soil.
• Making the solution or getting it in powdered form, and lastly by spraying or sprinkling the salt on the plant.
• The most commonly recommended dosage of Epsom salt for plants is one tablespoon, heaped, in one gallon of water.
• High amounts of magnesium can cause the yellowing of the plant and can also cause the plant to die.
• The powdered form of the salt should be sprinkled on the roots and surrounding soil where the spray should be sprayed on the roots, soil, and leaves.

Here we come to the end of the article about these magnesium-rich salts, so we hope that this article was an informative read for you and that now you can use the salts.