In article ,
" wrote:

What is the best way to use Epsom? As a spray for the foliage or sprinkle it
around the base of the plants?

MJ


Epsom salts has been used to relieve magnesium defi ciency found
during intensive cropping of many fruit and vegetable species worldwide.
Th ese include commonly grown North American crops such as alfalfa,
apple, beets, carrots, citrus, cauliflower, cotton, grains, hops, kale,
nuts, okra, peppers, plums, potatoes, snap beans, sugar beets, sweet
potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, watermelon, and wine grapes, as well as
more exotic species including banana, cacao, coff ee, rubber, Swedish
turnips, and tea.

Among the diverse plant materials that have been studied under treatment
with Epsom salts, there are two commonalities: all are intensively
produced crops and all were suffering from magnesium deficiency.

There are two primary causes of magnesium defi ciency in plants:
an actual lack of soil magnesium, or an imposed defi ciency caused by
mineral imbalances in the soil or plant. Magnesium defi ciencies most
commonly occur in soils described as light, sandy, and/or acid, though
occasionally clay soils under intensive production can show
magnesium defi ciency as well.

Regardless of type, soils heavily leached by rainfall or irrigation are
more likely to exhibit magnesium defi ciency. Thus, soil addition of
highly soluble Epsom salts under leaching conditions does not benefit
magnesium-deficient plants but does increase mineral contamination of
water passing through.

To restore magnesium, buy some Epsom salts at the drugstore and add
about one tablespoon to an empty spray bottle. Then fill the bottle with
lukewarm water, shake it up so the Epsom salts dissolve and spray the
solution on the leaves and blossoms of your pepper plants.

Epsom salt solutions have been sprayed on foliage, resulting in leaf
scorch; inclusion of a wetting agent can relieve this. A teeny bit of
detergent maybe? Commercial wetting agents look pricy.
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