On Thursday, May 30, 2013 7:22:26 PM UTC-4, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Billy wrote:

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.



As well as all this keep in mind that a foliar spray is a quick fix not a

long term solution and it doesn't last long. Unless you want to do it every

few weeks study your soil and see what needs to be done to provide a long

term balance of minerals.



D

Everything is fertilized with 10 10 10. The peppers (bell) do not have very thick walls and I thought I had read that this would help. There is a lot of irrigation to the garden, so am I wasting my time and effort? The burning issue concerns me too. Would early morning be enough to combat that?
MJ