The ins and outs of Epsom salt

b3rnd

b3rnd

Hey guys,
 
So I went to a garden store in a big city nearby (Evora, if you're ever in Portugal, go there. The Chapel of Bones is truly a sight to see), and I thought I'd look for some epsom salt. Sadly I couldn't find any, but I thought I'd ask for it anyway. Turns out they had a 25 kilogram bag in the back for € 8,90 (55 lbs for around 8 dollars), which seemed to me to be a pretty good deal. Anxious as I am to douse my plants in this stuff, I would like to hear experiences from you guys.
 
What is the best way to apply it? I've read about spraying the leaves, mixing it in with the soil, putting a tablespoon in the hole before planting etc. etc., so what is your preferred method?
 
How much do I add to a litre of water?
 
How many times do you guys use it? Do I apply it in the same week as the other ferts?
 
 
Can't think of any other questions right now but any tips or tricks are greatly appreciated!
 
Nice score there, 25kg of that stuff will last you a lifetime.

I use an epsom salts spray on my seedlings every 2 weeks roughly, 1 teaspoon of epsom salts dissolved into 1liter of luke warm water.
Then after i transplant them outdoors I just top dress some epsom salts every month or so. Just go light on it, its always easier to add then to make overfed plants recover.
I guess you could also mix it in with the soil but the crystals are tiny and if you water one time, or have 1 very rainy day everything will run off anyway. I find top dressing works fine enough.

Good luck in advance!
 
fertilizer said:
Nice score there, 25kg of that stuff will last you a lifetime.

I use an epsom salts spray on my seedlings every 2 weeks roughly, 1 teaspoon of epsom salts dissolved into 1liter of luke warm water.
Then after i transplant them outdoors I just top dress some epsom salts every month or so. Just go light on it, its always easier to add then to make overfed plants recover.
I guess you could also mix it in with the soil but the crystals are tiny and if you water one time, or have 1 very rainy day everything will run off anyway. I find top dressing works fine enough.

Good luck in advance!
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+1
 
I take a fist full and spread it around the base of each well established plants in my garden beds once the soil heats up and they have had a couple weeks after transplanting.

I only do this once throughout the summer growing season. I let it self water via drip irrigation or rain.
 
This forum is just awesome. All the answers I wanted in the first few posts. Thanks a lot guys! Just sprayed my plants with the solution, let's see how they do. 25 kg does seem like a lot now that I know how much goes in a litre, lol.
 
The_NorthEast_ChileMan said:
 
Think outside the box... If you could only find it kilometers away in a large bag look into reselling smaller quantities.

Is there a popular website for buying/selling stuff in Portugal (like eBay)?
Ebay in Portugal
Como Comprar no eBay Portugal
Click to expand...
 
Getting proper business advice on a pepper forum was not at all what I expected when I registered. This place keeps surprising me in a very good way. It just so happens that I've been searching for business opportunities to look into! Great stuff. Thanks ChileMan! 
 
From what I've seen from observing so far (I like to stare at other people's gardens like a creeper), people here are quite simple in their gardening supplementation etc. Just plant and see what takes and what doesn't. The serious gardeners do have drip irrigation but that is almost a must if you want good crops here without being a full-time plant waterer, lol. MIght even be a nice idea to go door-to-door at first, I'm gonna look into it.
 
Epsom salt is good for your bath tub. You can absorb it through the skin to get more magnesium in your tissues. It is a common deficiency that doesn't show up in blood tests because it is used to regulate the pH of the blood. The tissues can be low in magnesium without it showing up in a blood test. A couple of cups in the bath water is good.
 
Pr0digal_son said:
You'll be shittin through the eye of a needle with 25kg.
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It doesn't take much to get things going! 
I take about a teaspoon a day as a Mg supplement.  Once I sorta forgot and double dosed.  The result was hardly a re-enactment of Krakatoa, but there was some minor 'eruptive' activity.  ;)   
 
Geonerd said:
 
It doesn't take much to get things going! 
I take about a teaspoon a day as a Mg supplement.  Once I sorta forgot and double dosed.  The result was hardly a re-enactment of Krakatoa, but there was some minor 'eruptive' activity.   ;)   
Click to expand...
 
LOL!  'Eruptive activity', that made me burst out into laughter.
 
 
 
Sorry. I'll go away now.
 
I'm actually surprised someone hasn't come here, calling all of you followers of voodoo, and asking you for empirical evidence that it works. Someone likes to derail epsom salts threads like that,among other threads.
 
One tbs in a regular spray bottle, with warm water. The plants really react to getting their leaves soaked by it. It's like a shot of 5 Hour Energy to them. I haven't used it as a top dressing, only a foliar spray. Never used it on seedlings in pots less than 5". I'll have to try that.
 
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