Gardening with Epsom Salt
Posted by Unknown in Bell Peppers, Epsom Salt, Gardening, Rose on Monday, 13 May 2013
Epsom salt
is a popular and well-reputed supplement in organic gardening. With the
recent push towards “green” living, Epsom salt is an ideal answer to a
variety of organic gardening needs. Both cost effective and gentle on
your greenery, Epsom salt is an affordable and green treatment for your
well-tended plants—both indoors and out.
Completely
one-of-a-kind with a chemical structure unlike any other, Epsom salt (or
Magnesium Sulfate) is one of the most economic and versatile salt-like
substances in the world. Throughout time, Epsom salt has been known as a
wonderful garden supplement, helping to create lush grass, full roses,
and healthy, vibrant greenery. It has long been considered a planter’s
“secret” ingredient to a lovely, lush garden, and is such a simple,
affordable way to have a dramatic impact. Just as gourmet salt works
with the ingredients in food to enhance and bring a meal to its full
potential, Epsom salt enhances fertilizer and soil’s capabilities to
bring a deeper level of vitality to your garden’s composition. Ultra
Epsom Salt is the highest quality Epsom salt available, and is widely
celebrated for its powerful benefits on natural life, ranging from
household plants to shrubs, lawns and even trees.
Why Epsom Salt Works in the Garden
Composed almost
exclusively of Magnesium Sulfate, Epsom salt is intensely rich in these
two minerals that are both crucial to healthy plant life. These same
minerals which are so beneficial for bathing and using around the house
are also a wonderful facilitator to your garden, helping it reach its
fullest potential and creating a lush and vibrant outdoor space. Unlike
common fertilizers, Epsom Salt does not build up in the soil over time,
so it is very safe to use.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is
beneficial to plants from the beginning of their life, right when the
seed begins to develop. It assists with the process of seed germination;
infusing the seed with this important mineral and helping to strengthen
the plant cell walls, so that the plant can receive essential
nutrients. Magnesium also plays a crucial role in photosynthesis by
assisting with the creation of chlorophyll, used by plants to convert
sunlight into food. In addition, it is a wonderful help in allowing the
plant to soak up phosphorus and nitrogen, which serve as vital
fertilizer components for the soil. Magnesium is believed to bring more
flowers and fruit to your garden, increasing the bounty as well as the
beauty of your space.
SULFATE
Sulfate, a
mineral form of sulfur found in nature, is an equally important nutrient
for plant life. Sulfate is essential to the health and longevity of
plants, and aides in the production of chlorophyll. It joins with the
soil to make key nutrients more effective for plants, including
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Sulfate works in conjunction with
Magnesium to create a “vitamin” full of minerals, nourishment and health
benefits for your garden.
How to Use Epsom Salt in the Garden
EPSOM SALT FOR HOUSEPLANTS
Perhaps the
most natural and easiest place to start with Ultra Epsom Salt is with
the potted plants that are dispersed around your house and porch. Epsom
salt is such a simple way to increase their blooming and health, and is
something that you can include easily as a part of a normal routine. For
potted plants, simply dissolve 2 tablespoons per gallon of water, and
substitute this solution for normal watering at least once a month –
although it is safe to do this as often as desired.
Adding this
Epsom salt solution to houseplants that have been potted for a long time
is especially useful, due in part to natural salt, which can build up
in the soil and clog the root cells of the plant. Ultra Epsom Salt can
help to clear up this accumulation of natural salts in the pot, and lead
to a revival in the plant's health and vibrancy. It is also useful for a
plant that has just been potted, as it will more easily receive the
proper nutrients and have a healthy start in life. As general guidance,
most plants need plenty of sun to receive the benefits of Ultra Epsom
Salt (and photosynthesize), so be sure to keep typical houseplants in a
sunny area of the home unless instructed otherwise. Using Ultra Epsom
Salt with potted vegetable plants is a really wonderful idea as well,
because it can increase the amount of fruit or vegetables you receive
from the one plant. This is particularly beneficial to apartment
dwellers and those with little or no personal yard space, as Ultra Epsom
Salt can help you receive a large bounty within a confined space. A
wonderful way to easily and effectively grow food!
FIRST PLANTING WITH EPSOM SALT
For setting up
your garden and the initial planting stage, Ultra Epsom Salt is
especially useful for getting a nourishing start. Prep your garden soil
by sprinkling up to 1 cup of Ultra Epsom Salt per 100 square feet, and
then work it into the soil before seeding or planting. This helps the
seeds to germinate better, and start with a strong and healthy growth.
It is also very beneficial for more mature plants that you are going to
add to your garden, since the transition can be difficult for their
growth and health.
VEGETABLE GARDENS & EPSOM SALT
For maintaining
and creating a vegetable garden, Epsom salt can help you refresh and
revitalize the garden you have already created—or create a healthy
beginning to a new space. Ultra Epsom Salt is advised for use with all
fruits, vegetables, and herbs (It is not advisable to use Epsom salt
with the planting of sage—it is not beneficial for this particular
plant). As previously mentioned, it does not cause build-up or any harm
to plants when used, and so can be used safely and effectively during
any stage of the plant’s life. For general purposes, Ultra Epsom Salt
works well as a saline solution for a tank sprayer. Simply fill your
tank sprayer (commonly available at gardening and home improvement
stores) with 1 tablespoon of Ultra Epsom Salt per gallon of water. Then
spray your garden after the initial planting, later when it begins to
grow (or after a month or so for transplants), and lastly when the
vegetables begin to mature. It is believed that this practice will give
you healthier vegetables, and a lush vegetable garden.
The advice above is wonderful for any vegetable or herb, but we do have additional advice for some varieties and situations:
Tomatoes & Epsom Salt
Tomatoes are
prone to magnesium deficiency later in the growing season, and display
this through yellow leaves and less production. They can greatly benefit
from Ultra Epsom Salt treatments both at the beginning of their
planting and throughout their seasonal life. When gardening, simply add
one or two tablespoons per hole before planting the seeds or
transplants. Then as the tomato matures, either work in one tablespoon
of Ultra Epsom Salt per foot of plant height around the base of the
tomato plant (individually), or create the tank sprayer solution
mentioned above and use that every two weeks.
Peppers & Epsom Salt
Like tomatoes,
peppers are also prone to magnesium deficiency and thrive much more
fully with the use of Epsom salt. This can be done in the same way as
tomatoes—through adding one or two tablespoons per hole before planting
(for seeds and grown plants), and then twice a week based on the height
of the plant (see above). A study conducted by the National Gardening
Association discovered that four out of six home gardeners noticed that
their Epsom salt-treated peppers were larger than those that were
un-treated. Many gardeners credit their healthy, vibrant peppers and
tomatoes to Epsom salt. This solution truly aides in the production
level, aesthetic beauty and quality of the harvest produced.
FLOWER GARDENS & EPSOM SALT
Like vegetable
gardens, flower gardens also blossom more vibrantly and beautifully with
the use of Ultra Epsom Salt in the soil and as a liquid solution. Epsom
salt helps your garden to become the calming, serene environment you
have been envisioning, and will increase the beauty of your home and
landscape as well. To use, follow the guidelines outlined in the First
Planting section for both brand new seedlings and more mature plants.
Next, using a tank sprayer, fill with a liquid solution containing one
tablespoon of Ultra Epsom Salt per gallon of water. This solution can be
used as much as desired during the gardening season; but definitely
after the initial planting, then later when you see growth (or after a
month or so for transplants), and finally when they have received full
bloom. If you don’t have a tank sprayer, you can always create this
solution in a watering can using the ratio of 1 tablespoon Ultra Epsom
Salt to 1 gallon of water.
Roses and flower bushes have some additional tips concerning the use of Epsom salt:
Roses & Epsom Salt
Roses in
particular can greatly benefit from Epsom salt, and it is said to make
foliage greener, healthier and lead to more canes and roses. Start by
soaking unplanted rose bushes in one half cup of Ultra Epsom Salt per
gallon of water before planting, to help the roots get stronger and
firmer. Then, when planting, add one tablespoon of Ultra Epsom Salt per
hole before inserting the rose bush. After the roses are planted (and to
boost already planted roses), make the liquid Ultra Epsom Salt solution
listed above for either a tank sprayer or watering can, or simply work
in one tablespoon of Ultra Epsom Salt per foot of plant (individually).
Once during the beginning of the season, it is also advised to work one
half cup of Ultra Epsom Salt into the base of the plant to encourage
blooming canes and healthy basal cane development.
Shrubs & Epsom Salt
For flowering
and green shrubs, particularly evergreens, azaleas and rhododendrons,
Epsom salt can improve the blooming of the flowers and the vibrancy of
the greenery. Simply work in one tablespoon of Ultra Epsom Salt per nine
square feet of bush into the soil, over the root zone, which allows the
shrubs to absorb the nutritional benefits. Repeat this every two to
four weeks for optimal results.
LAWN CARE & EPSOM SALT
Just as Ultra
Epsom Salt can revitalize your garden, so does it improve the greenery
and sustainability of your lawn. Epsom salt is particularly useful for
preventing a yellowing lawn and creating lusher, softer, deeply green
grass. It can be applied using a tank sprayer (which can also be used on
your flower and vegetable gardens), a lawn spreader, and by using a
hose and spray attachment. Use three pounds per 1250 square feet (25’ x
50’), six pounds per 2500 square feet (50’ x 50’), and twelve pounds per
5000 square feet (50’ x 100’). If using a tank sprayer or a hose and
spray attachment, make sure to dilute the salt in plenty of water
(enough to make it dissolve), so that it is a concentrated solution.
TREES & EPSOM SALT
Trees, the
largest and longest standing part of your garden, can also benefit from
Epsom salt by allowing more minerals to be absorbed through the roots,
giving you strong healthy trees to enjoy for years to come. If your
trees bloom or produce fruit, Ultra Epsom Salt can be particularly
useful due to its ability to increase the production of both flowers and
bounty. Simply work in two tablespoons per nine square feet into the
soil over the root zone three or four times a year. Planning to complete
this at the beginning of each season is particularly helpful for
preparing the tree for the change in weather, and allowing them to
become stronger and healthier.
