Epsom Salts - Why?

epsom salts are great. i had to order online though, nowhere to be found in japan - was told by a gardening expert here that its because traditional veg in Japan doesnt need salty soil, and if you want a bath high in minerals, you go to an Onsen (volcanic spa) rather than do it at home.
 
Capitone said:
What are the exact quantities (if known) that you folks are using in the your spray bottles? How big are the spray bottles and how much epsom salt?

I've used it myself, but diluted in water for feeding. Occasionally I'll pour a little of that into a spray bottle for the leaves as well. Just curious to know what strengths everyone else is using.
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I typically use half a tsp or less in a 12 oz. spray bottle.  The water I mix it with is fish water.  I only do it about once a week or less on my indoor plants but more often on my soil beds, every 3-4 days or so.  I found it helps control aphids when I add a small handful of tomato leaves and organic dish soap to the same mixture.
 
Specifically, epsom salts aid in chlorophyll production, because magnesium is one of the major limiting factors nutrient-wise in the genesis of those organelle.  Also... it is especially good for peppers in the foliar fed method, because peppers have a hard time absorbing enough Mg from the soil.
 
Ok, I'm on board with the Epsom salt/foliar application, but does anybody add a wetting agent (wet betty,coco wet, etc.) to their spray?
In theory it should make the leaves uptake the magnesium more rapidly and completely, right?
Or could it result in an "overdose" of magnesium and cause problems?
 
Is it possible to overdose them? I jumped to it after reading the first post about how much to use and put 2 tbsp into a 2 litre sprayer. Just sat down after spraying every plant I have growing very liberally and read the other posts, only to find that the dose is 1 tsp per litre.

You'd think I'd have learned to read up EVERYTHING after the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide soak that fried my first set of seeds in January!

So, are they all going to die?
 
Bigwelshprop said:
Is it possible to overdose them? I jumped to it after reading the first post about how much to use and put 2 tbsp into a 2 litre sprayer. Just sat down after spraying every plant I have growing very liberally and read the other posts, only to find that the dose is 1 tsp per litre.

You'd think I'd have learned to read up EVERYTHING after the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide soak that fried my first set of seeds in January!

So, are they all going to die?
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I don't know that your mix was 'too strong,' but a quick rinse of the leaves with plain water might not be a bad idea...
 
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