8 Reasons To Use Epsom Salt in Your Garden Today

No matter if you are a beginner or an experienced gardener, you shouldn’t be afraid of experimenting and trying different applications to have a healthy and beautiful garden. If you are up to date with new solutions, you should know that one of the most trending commodities used in gardening today is Epsom Salt. 

However, if you have never heard about it, it is an inexpensive, natural, and non-toxic product that can easily improve the condition of your plants, deter pests or make your fruit and vegetable taste better. 

Since you can utilize Epsom Salt for many purposes, we want to share with you some of its most important ones so you can decide if you like to give it a chance in your garden.

What Is Epsom Salt And Why Does It Work In Gardening?

Before we can move to numerous applications of Epsom Salt in gardening, it is crucial to understand first what it really is and why it works in gardening. 

Epsom Salt owes its name to the region in England, where it was discovered in the 1600s. It is a mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate in crystal form. It resembles table salt but compared to it, it doesn’t contain any sodium chloride, has a very bitter taste, and can’t be consumed. 

Plants need various nutrients to grow healthy. Two of these nutrients are magnesium and sulfate, which form Epsom Salt. They also help plants absorb other nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as produce chlorophyll that contributes to their greener color and improved blooms. 

Now when you know how exactly Epsom Salt can help your plants, let’s take a look at its unique usages in gardening.

Reasons To Use Epsom Salt in Your Garden 

Deter Pests

Is there anything more annoying in your garden than pests? Since the answer is no, you might need Epsom Salt as another weapon to fight them. Epsom Salt, compared to pest control products is natural, which is crucial since some plants are sensitive to toxic pesticides and chemical deterrents. Magnesium and sulfate are great for dealing with pests and do not harm plants. Simply dissolve 2 tablespoons of Epsom Salt in 1 gallon of water and apply it with a pump spray over your plants. It has been confirmed that it works great, especially as a slug and snail repellent. 

Keeps The Lawn Green

The lawn is usually the showpiece of your home. If you want it to represent proudly your property, make sure it is always green. One way to achieve this goal is by using Epsom Salt. Besides magnesium, it also contains iron. Both nutrients are desired by your soil and are responsible for preventing the grass from losing its green color. Again, dissolve 2 tablespoons of Epsom Salt in 1 gallon of water, and spray it on your lawn. Do it carefully using a garden sprayer and make certain your lawn absorbed it well. 

Accelerates seed development

No one wants to wait forever for their plants. If you are impatient and want them to grow fast, you can speed up this process with Epsom Salt. First, magnesium strengthens cell walls, which leads to boosting the growth of the seedlings. Secondly, during the germination process, sulfur is lost. To replenish its quantity, it’s recommended to use Epsom Salt. There are two ways to do that. You can either place 1 tablespoon in each hole before adding seeds or dissolve 1 tablespoon in every gallon of water and add it to the soil after planting.

Supports Nutrient Absorption

As we have already said, magnesium is doing great as a natural nutrient booster. It is commonly used in fertilizers because it helps roots absorb necessary nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. However, since Epsom Salt is natural, it won’t have any negative impact on your garden, and it will also save you a lot of money. You can apply it both ways, the same as when we talked about accelerating seed development.

Assist Plant Transplantation

Transplanting your plants can be challenging for their roots, and if they get damaged, it can lead to a transplant shock. As you have already learned, Epsom Salt, when applied, contributes to increased production of chlorophyll, which increases the absorption of vital nutrients. It is especially important when transplanting plants since they can adapt faster to a new place. After the transplantation, provide your plants immediately with water with dissolved Epsom Salt.

Facilitates The Removal Of Tree Stumps

Do you have a tree stump that you want to get rid of, but you don’t know how to do it without tree stump killers or hiring professionals? If yes, we might have a perfect solution. Drill holes at the top of the stumps, and then do the same in the sides so the holes can connect. After that, fill them with water with dissolved Epsom Salt and repeat this activity every 3 to 4 weeks until the stump dies. Once this happens, you will be able to remove the stump with ease. 

Boosts Fruit and Veggies

Not all fruit and veggies will benefit from receiving Epsom Salt, but there are a few that will have spectacular results after its use. Let’s start with tomatoes and peppers since these two get the most out of the application of Epsom Salt. 

Tomatoes often become magnesium deficient compared to other grown food, and after applying Epsom Salt, they become not only healthier, but their taste is also sweeter. Peppers also tend to lose magnesium. Therefore, if you support them with Epsom Salt, they will grow stronger and have more peppers for each plant. In both cases, add 2 tablespoons of Epsom Salt to 1 gallon of water and spray the plants once every two weeks.

When it comes to fruit trees, after planting them, it takes a long time to have fresh fruits. One of the reasons is that magnesium level drops in their soil frequently. So to boost the magnesium level and speed up the process of receiving fruit, consider using Epsom Salt. It will also make your trees more resistant to the weather and diseases, and their fruit will be tastier.

Strengthen Roses

Roses are a holy grail in the garden, and every gardener proudly boasts of them to others. To have strong roses with beautiful colors, gorgeous dark green foliage, rich blooms, and amazing aroma support them with Epsom Salt. If you do that, you can be sure your roses will delight everyone looking at them.

We included this purpose at the end since the application method is slightly different from previous ones. For the best results, soak the rose bushes in half a cup of Epsom Salt for every gallon of water before you plant them to strengthen their roots. Next, add 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole. Once your roses are already planted, spray them with a mixture of water and Epsom Salt (½ cup of Epsom Salt for 1 gallon of water) once a month during the growing season.

To Sum Up

Having a lovely garden free of pests, with healthy plants and delicious food requires using different methods. One of them is applying Epsom Salt, which can improve the condition of your plants significantly. Since Epsom Salt has various applications in gardening, we wanted to share with you the most significant ones, so you can decide whether it will be beneficial in your garden. 

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Let us know what you think about using Epsom Salt, and as always, please share!