On Thursday, May 30, 2013 7:42:42 PM UTC-4, wrote:
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

I have had the soil tested many times at through the cooperative extension office but it has been a few years. I don't remember the exact results but there was never anything that stood out and the 10 10 10 was their recommendation. The soil is fairly sandy and slightly acidic due to the pine trees near by. I have never been able to figure out what is in the soil that causes my tomato plants to develop wilt but they do every year. In fact I took some dirt out of the garden, put it in a pot, planted the tomato plant and it too has wilted.
But back to the peppers, I put a tablespoon of the Epsom Salt around the base of each plant and I sware the plants are greener. How often should or can I do this? The garden is watered twice a day for 15 minutes. The plants are just getting flowers.

MJ