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Magnesium Sulfate Hydrate (Epsom Salt) Boosts Growth in Tomatoes, Peppers and Roses

Tomatoes and Peppers
Magnesium sulfate hydrate (Epsomite), sold as Epsom Salt or under another generic name, is composed of magnesium and sulfur, both of which are necessary for healthy plant growth. Magnesium is important for seed germination, the production of chlorophyll and the absorption of both phosphorus and nitrogen. Sulfur also assists in chlorophyll production and makes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium found in the soil more effective. According to Wendy L. Wilber, Extension Agent from the University of Florida, magnesium sulfate makes a good enhancer when used with your regular fertilizer.


How to make foliar spray from magnesium sulfate 
Mix one tablespoon of magnesium sulfate with one gallon of water to create a foliar spray for your plants. Foliar spray applied directly to the leaves of plants begins the absorption process immediately.

Magnesium sulfate for peppers 
Use foliar spray on pepper plants at blooming time and repeat in ten days, says the Epsom Salt Council.

Magnesium sulfate for tomatoes 
Many gardeners use magnesium sulfate to boost tomato growth and production. Dissolve it in water or mix it into the top few inches of the soil around the base of tomato plants. Use one tablespoon per foot of height in tomatoes. Repeat every two weeks.

Magnesium sulfate for roses 
According to tests conducted by the National Garden Association, roses grown with magnesium sulfate grow bushier and produce more abundant blooms. Work ½ cup of magnesium sulfate into the soil near the base of rose bushes to encourage new canes. Mix one tablespoon with one gallon of water and apply to a rate of one gallon per foot of rose height every two weeks. Magnesium sulfate may also help prevent garden pests.

Magnesium in soil preparation 
Mix one cup of magnesium sulfate per 100 square feet of garden area before planting. Work it into the top 4 inches of the soil with a garden tiller or hand tools.

Magnesium sulfate for container gardens 
Mix one tablespoon of Epsom salt with water and apply to container gardens every two weeks to promote healthy growth.

Magnesium sulfate for houseplants 
Mix 2 tablespoons with water and apply to houseplants once a month to boost growth and encourage healthy foliage and blooming.

Magnesium sulfate should not be used as a replacement for your fertilizer as it does not contain the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium necessary for plant growth. Use it as a growth enhancer along with your regular fertilizer. The Epsom Salt Council notes that magnesium sulfate, unlike commercial fertilizer, does not build up in the soil and doesn't cause harm to plants if overused.


Back to Tomatoes
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • Grow Your Own Amazing Pomato Plant - Tomatoes on the Top and Potatoes on the Bottom
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
      • Control Blister Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables