Epsom Salt Spray For Plants…
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- 👩🔬 Epsom salts used to be the popular “put in the hole with your plant” fertilizer. The idea behind this is that Mg is deficient in soils.
In Saskatchewan, in a garden Mg is very unlikely to be deficient. It’s the 8th most abundant element in the world. With the earths crust holding 2%. However, abundance doesn’t always equal bioavailable.
Bioavailability is essentially whether or not something is “digestible”. Think of milk for example, there is lactose free milk and regular milk. For some humans lactose free milk is the only “digestible” form of milk.
What Decreases Magnesium Bioavailability:
- Soil pH
- Excessive levels of NPK
- Soil moisture (too high or too low)
- Stressed plants
Only way me can help a plant get Magnesium (which we know is used in chlorophyll production & oxidative stress protection) is via foliar feeding.
Foliar feeding is nutrients in a mist form that hit the leaves and not the roots.
Now…. Here is the interesting part. Only some nutrients can be uptake via this mechanism. And some plants are better than others when it comes to the job.
Uptake via stomata does happen… but it’s not the main mechanism. It is actually the leaves themselves. Problem is leaves have a cuticle and we need to power through that, which is why we use surfactants.
The pH of the spray helps because #osmosis in theory we know pH has an affect on pH. And plant biomass testing shows that pH of the foliar spray matters. This is also the reason why uptake is better with other nutrients outside of Magnesium. Having a broader spectrum foliar spray is helpful.
Soooooo… does epsom salt spray work? Sure. And I am happy supporting the use of it if it means keeping it out of the soil.
But remember- it’s not the most effective & this is why even “professional” & commercial foliar sprays are few and far between. I’ll link to an option in my stories.
amzn.to/4bDzrsQ
#epsomsaltfertilizer #epsomsalt #epsomsaltspray
I personally would skip foliars. But if you are dead set on it I would go for a legitimate brand. Like this: geni.us/d8SE
Links 🔗
Maize & Soybean - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8072903/
Sugar Beets - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8072903/
Bananas - www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/11/1050
Counter Arguments - s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/epsom-salts.pdf
Secondary Macronutrients - extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/information-sheets/is1039_web.pdf
Application Ideas - zylemsa.co.za/blog/foliar-feeding/
Foliar Feeding Time (Cornell) - extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/information-sheets/is1039_web.pdf
Effects of excess potassium - atpag.com/resources/plant-nutrition/magnesium/
Soil under irrigation long term - www.vegetables.bayer.com/us/en-us/resources/growing-tips-and-innovation-articles/cultivation-insights/irrigation-water-quality.html
It's a good diagnostic. But ya, usually fix the issue if it is the issue. As for sourcing, one can also look up Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate. Gecko grow has a 500g bag for $10 which would last a lifetime of foliar spray.
@@teac117500g doesn't sound like much if it's mostly water.
potash is called that because it was originally isolated from soaking wood ash in water, then straining off the ash and boiling away the water. Eventually ashy looking crystals form out of the water which is potash. It's "ash" that you get from boiling water in a pot. And it was used in tons of industries like glass making, cloth dying, and soap making since the bronze age. Then we discovered the same mineral can be found in the ground, so we used the same name for that too
Our forebears were exceedingly resourceful. If you take ashes from hardwood and add water, what comes to the surface is lye. I didn't know about the further processing of the ashes into potash, so that was very interesting to learn!
Huh that’s wild! I live in potash mining country 😅 I should know this
@@GardeningInCanada I drove across Canada and saw those mines! Wild!
I'm a big fan, and thank you for the science on magnesium and plant health. I would like to report on the related topic of taste. When I was living on Southern CA about 4 years ago, I planted tomato plants outside in a good size hole filled with garden soil. I applied some garden epsom salt, diluted in water, at the base of my tomato plants a few times during tomato production. I don't remember how much, but it was about a pint of water. The result was that the tomato flavor was markedly pronounced with an increase in salt flavor, which alone would enhance the flavor. But these were some of the best tomatoes I ever ate.
Oh wow that’s wild!
Curious. Saline/sodic soil?
A dear old friend in her late 80s on N Cali taught me the trick and I've been doing it ever since! Best crops ever!
I'm with you on that for sure. Growing tomatoes convinced me to switch over to use some epsom salt in the soil. It makes them sweeter and juicier......yum!
I too, just showered, your hair is beautiful. I love your videos and I’m glad you’re a soil geek because I just dig in the dirt. You’re educating us. Thanks ❤
Thank you so much!! ☺️ appreciate you tuning in
Wish version of Bill Murray 😊😂😊😂
Totally subbing for that.
Wish version of bill Murray! 😂😂😂
But like… honestly. It’s his twin
I always think about what happens naturally in nature when I hear about things like this...this is why I still get my knees dirty ( and hurt) growing in the soil. It's how it used to be and probably should be. I also don't believe water can burn your leaves 😋
Thank you Ashley for another informative video. I've been debating about using Epson salt or not. I know my Mom and Grandmother used to use it in their gardens. Now I'll do some more research.
Good luck!
I'm having a weird problem going on with my "tomato" plants. some of them are almost a neon yellow. first I'm thinking nitrogen deficiency but it's not. then I was thinking ph. that's not it either.
could this be a sulfur toxicity? I do remember adding some extra sulfur and gypsum. but other than that..any ideas? ever seen a neon yellow plant from head to toe? I grow in soil less medium. peat base
is the soil really moist? sounds like a water logged plant
Ashley, your content is packed with value, thank you so much! Love nerding out with you!
You're so welcome! Thank you for joining
One more thing folar spraying should be done on the underside of the leaf plants perspire from the top of the leaf and breath from the bottom side of the leaf, the research states that the pores on the top of the leaf close up when touched or disturbed and can close to hold in moisture under harsh conditions and the underside pores can take in water because the pores stay open to breath in fresh air they don't really close because if or they did stay shut the plant would suffocate.
Do a video on using the blood of your enemies to ward off blossom end rot. Just Sarcasm, you are the only one with a science degree who actually knows what she is talking about.
Does spraying a calcium solution actual help prevent BER or is that another “it may or may not help” procedure?
I'd just tried adding it to some pepper plants. I have never used it before. I have 8 healthy looking bell pepper plants, nearly 3' tall with no flowers or fruit on any of them. Someone said to add Epsom salt. I didn't spray though. I added around a table spoon and to a gallon of water and poured it around the 8 plants. I have no experience with Epsom salt nor pepper plants not having fruit at this point in the year. But I am at a new home with a new garden.
Go easy on it. I look at the weeds in that area to get an idea what kind of minerals may be in detriment or excess there. Then look up what plants grow well with those, or, if you're already in the ground, look up what kind of mineral ratios your pepper likes and make incremental changes. Milk has a high calcium to magnesium ratio, which some plants prefer, so differing small amounts of epsom salt in milk depending on plant and soil can keep you from locking out either Ca or Mg.
@@chrisj4236 I am have had at least 10 years of no problems with nightshades. I moved to a property that has a full sun exposure. When the then sun rises untill it sets, there is no shade. About 2 to 3 weeks after my starters went in, we had 3 to 4 weeks here in West NH of mid 90s. I am always cautious to amend the soil. I had a lot of blossom drop on my tomatoes. I think I might need to invest in some shade for 16 hours of 98. I have one san marzano that's 9 feet tall that's yet to set a fruit. But looks healthy. In this part of the US I have never needed to shade summer crops, so I have no idea how to.
So you can plant a plant in a pot full magnesium sulphate, yer I'm a horticulturist from Australia, and I'm nearly at 100% the plant will die, I love your videos, but that information is wrong If a plant can OD on water it will definitely OD on MgSO4
I worked on farms with big irrigation systems. We watered leaves in 90-100F bright high sun every day and never burned a thing. Definitely myth. A drop on a leaf does not magnify as it would appear to do. ❤
Hi, Ashley - help! I have slugs so badly with all the rain in zone 6....they've eaten 85% of my beautiful strawberries! I put the blackberry canes on a cattle panel trellis which fixed the problem for those. Do you have any recommendations for organic solutions for slugs in strawberries? I use deep wood chip mulch. Not sure whether that makes a difference. I hesitate to try Sluggo because I read it harms earthworms and other beneficials. Thanks!
Knowledge with humour is the ultimate attractant (no, not surfactant)
My plants are also someones:)
Ahah awe
Hello Ashley listening. I found a bag of Epson salt and been Hesitant to do this. I’ve heard some of this from other gardeners. If I ever do apply it, I’ll be selective and may do it over longer period of time. I talk to the sunflowers here too;)
We had a heaping tbsp to the hole before dropping in our tomato starters for 14yrs now and we have bumper crops. Before our tomatoes were spindly and small producers. I've told so many family members the trick.
Thank you for the science! I feel super smart now.
Ashley's the best!
👩🔬🧑🔬👨🔬
Yes you are right to much potassium can lock out calcium and magnesium and probably more
My mom refuses to believe that water doesn't burn her plants. I just let her do her thing.
Love the northern aspect of this channel, went the w store and bought some herbs, basil, thyme, rosemary so now what should I do as far as repot etc. please do a video for us folks that buy instead of start from seed. Cold lake Alberta
Yea! I can do that.
awesome video very informative
thanks 🙂🌻
My pleasure 😊 thank you for stopping by
Works great for watermelon the plants can't get enough
Sun through magnifying lens will burn a leaf are you saying that is a myth too?
Hi! I’m curious about what would be some good foliar spray options that aren’t DIY. Would applying my fish emulsion/kelp be beneficial? Or would it need a surfactant. I’m hoping foliar sprays can help limp my plants along until I get my soil to a good place.
I have one linked in the pinned comment. That and a copper spray is oddly enough two I like
Aloe is a great surfactant to use rather than yucca or soaps.
Thank you Ashley for all your great content!!! Yes, Mg++ also in humans are known to be responsible for 300+ roles in our bodies... to include K+ utilization among others (TNTC)...
Holy moly that’s a lot
Most people are deficient!
@@carolb5677 Yes, over 80% are and it's mostly because of the deficiency of this mineral in our soils.
@@jackiewhitney5031my sleep has improved dramatically after adding magnesium
Wow...yes, learning is fun!🤓
👩🔬👨🔬
I’ve seen this recently and seen ppl put salt into their soil and have been wondering if it’s something I should be doing or not.
Well, definitely not table salt. But like she says, for epsom salts, it depends.
Huh… that’s wild. Sodium is an essential nutrient but it’s a micro. To much will definitely kill plants
I use it when growing my Yukon Gold potatoes, and it’s amazing!
🍅 is the new 🍑
Ahaha awe
Help! You're super knowledgeable about sterallization. How might one go about sterilizing bark, say for orchid bark media? I've got tons of this fur bark, should I "solar fry" the crap out of it? 😂 Hugs from Atlantic Canada
So the spoonful of Epsom salts and a tums under each tomato plant is a waste??
Yes, most of it is leached. It is immensely soluble. Your soil will only bind to a certain amount (CEC). Rest is sitting in water, which can be diluted and pushed down with the next rain. It'll also temporarily raise your EC while it waits for it, causing some potential dehydration or uptake issues, but luckily most people doing this are saved by said rain.
Yea I would skip it personally
Great content. Thanks one question regarding chlorophyll. I have some left over that I take with iron. It's gone past it's bb date. Is it good to use it as a fertilizer?
Probably won’t supply much off the hop. But overtime as it decomposes.
Great content as always! Have you ever tried epsom salt foliar spray on your houseplants?
No but the same principles would apply as what I have laid out in my epsom video.
So, TH-cam stopped suggesting me videos of yours I havent's already seen. Guess I watched them all. I think you never covered that overwatering can lead to nitrogen lockout? That would be a recommendation for a video then. :)
A friend of mine experienced that recently so I thought I'll bring it up.
Oh yes! I haven’t done that
@@GardeningInCanada Boom! :D
Thanks for this video. Since I grow in potting mix, basically soilless, this may help.and shouldnt be very expensive. I see you recommend unscented, but I wonder if perhaps peppermint scented may help with pests.
I love your no nonsense approach. Canadian treasure right here 🌱
I appreciate that!
You're still the greatest! I don't know how to use these "Surfactants". if they are oils, they won't mix with water, I wouldn't want to clog the stomata with pure oils of Yucca or Coconut... So how do I use them? Should I wipe the waxy surface with these oils on a soft cloth before spraying with Epsom Salt? I'm afraid I just need more detail. I've also heard that surfactants should be used on waxy insects, like Meally bugs, so I'm curious how to use them.
To be honest that’s why the professional stuff is better for foliar. There is a lot more to foliar sprays than water, coconut oil and epsom salt
The 'coco glucoside' is not an oil per se. It's an alcohol made from the coconut oil which is then combined with glucose. This enables it to form a micelle which you can think of as a giant buckyball that can hold 'something'. Normally, they're used as emulsifiers, to make insolvable things dissolve in water... but in this case, at low concentrations, it's mostly used to break the surface tension of water. Hrm... gardening blogs are bad at mistaking this and substituting the raw oils for said surfactants. Be wary of kitchen recipes.
Partly our fault for using the term vegetable/crop oil concentrate. That's yes, mostly oil, but hidden in there is a nonionic surfactant. The oil part breaks down the cuticle as described in the video - not the surfactant. The surfactant is there just to reduce the surface tension, flattening the water droplet so that it has more surface in contact with the leaf.
But surfactants themselves also have some cuticle interaction. Some classes are absorbed in and puff up the cuticle, allowing herbicides/molecules to pass through. Other classes increase the fluidity of wax. These are lower order effects, but do exist on their own.
Edit: Ugh, I think I might have made things more confusing.
Edit2: To be working as a foliar feeding spray however, just the surfactant property of flattening the water droplet is enough. The cuticle micro-pores are negatively charged, naturally drawing in ions of Ca, K, Mg, NH. 'Punching through' is a bit of an overkill.
instead of surfactant couldn't one use carbon from humate or molasses or extract of worm castings for a more balanced / dynamic blend of nutrients ?
@@rdraffkorn3184 Surfactant "just" means something that helps with mixing, like oil and water don't mix but some dish soap helps (and the point that things that bead up can't get through the plants holes to feed it). Chemically it's like one side is more like water and one side more like oil. Many surfactants foam up (afaik, tho egg yolk in mayo doesn't look 'bubbly' so much as creamy). There are sugar/sugar alcahol surfactants, but I don't think molasses is one nor is C or worm poop but think of all the other impurities getting into breathing holes?? That's why folks reach for a 'purer' surfactant. It's not nutrient itself
Use aloe juice. It has a surfactant as well as a growth hormone, nutrients , and keeps harmful bacteria at bay.
But wouldn't an excess of magnesium sulfate in the soil lock out calcium ?
Yes - transient effect but yes.
Thank you! Your video is immediately interesting because you dive right into it without a 30 second intro. You explain everything in a way that is easy to understand.
Wondering what the effect of sprayed epsom salts is on the soil. As far as I have it, it would disturb the soil life if applied directly to the soil. I live in a magnesium deficient region with sandy, aciduc soil. (I prefer to use a multi-mineral product that is good applied foliarly or directly. But an epsom salt spray would be great to go on the cheap.)
Epsom is magnesium sulfate so it also has a good amount of sulfur in it, so use sparingly!
That it can
This got me thinking about milk spray for preventing powdery mildew; do the leaves also absorb some beneficial nutrients from the milk?
Probably Ca++. It's a tiny part of the calcium available in milk, but still seems sizable. It'll stay in the leaf it enters, so unless you've got uptake issues already (like crinkly leaves, or tip burn in lettuce), it's also not going to do much. It won't affect blossom end rot as that's more of a transport issue during early formation of the fruit.
Calcium technically 😅 but I have no idea what the efficacy is.
10:56 thanks for the plan speak. Your video right here might be better if you try with a beer
I can agree with that.
“anywhosers”. I’m totally going to start using that. 😊I have very sandy soil here in the PNW, living near the beach so good info today. Thx!
Ooh yes that would be!
Watched your channel for awhile first time commenting. I am fifty six years old and am a life A long gardener,as a kid prekindergarten I had a row in family garden that I had to weed. I started running my father’s rototiller and had to reach up to the handles. A friend of my father’s taught me to spray tomatoes and peppers with epsom salt when the plants were in flower only. He said it would help with fruit set.
what about boosting the availability of whatever you spray on your plants with carbon from humate or molasses or even worm casting extract. just wondering.
I haven’t really looked into that. But I would suspect if it made the pH more inline it very well could aid in it.
Cuticle micro-pores are tiny - usually less than 2.4nm. You're going to have to use the stomata for stuff that big. edit: although caution advised against gunking up stomatas. Understand that stomata closure is a natural defense against pathogens. They're pretty good at staying closed up to 6 days.
Basically letterkenny for gardening. Anywhoozer.🎉🎉
Ahahaha best compliment yet
Thanks for the info Ashley!
You are so welcome! 🙏
I got a white current bush that had root damage when I got it about 3 years ago. It survived, but it is struggling (slow growth, yellowing leaves, very little fruit production). Do you thing epsom salt would help in this case?
Yea definitely could. I would actually consider something much more full spectrum nutrient wise in that case. Sounds like a nitrogen issue. It’s the old leaves that are yellow?
@@GardeningInCanada No, it’s sometimes the young ones.
We live in south Georgia and are having trouble with blossom end rot on our tomatoes now. We have them growing out doors in ground as well as in containers with potting soil. They are getting end rot at about golf ball size. Could this be caused by too much rain? Is there a quick fix? We didn't have problems with th em last year.
“There is no magic bullet to solve Blossom End Rot. Treat plants the way they want to be treated (good soil, compost, regular water etc) and you should not have serious problem. But if you do have BER, don’t believe everything you read.”
- David Pavlis’ Garden Myths
That’s calcium deficiency. Look up Garden like a Viking and what he says about egg shells and how to make the calcium in them bio available. People just crush them and throw them in their garden but that won’t help as it’s not bio available but he makes a solution that is.
I would really focus on supplying them with a consistent water supply.
Im not ging to do it.
I've tried it before I think it helped with flower growth but I didn't experiment I just use it on every flowering and fruiting plant
I didn't use that much 1 table spoon to a 3 to 5 liter bucket of water
You don't need much remember it is a salt right?
Oh I watered plant and soil I didn't spray it but I got the leaves wet
I never added anything to it
I just mix it in a sprinkled can and pour it over foliage and watch the magic appear.
I use about half a teaspoon of epsom salt in approximately 4500 liters of water (4,5, IBC containers full of water) in my aquaponics system. And I apply it early Spring time. Or after a really heavy rain event. And I repeat it later in the season, maybe after 6 weeks or so. Preferable before any leaves from my plants turn yellow. But my system is not comparable to soil. It doesn't have a natural source of magnesium. In the past I had some mineral deficiencies in my system, and the leaves from the plants turned yellow starting with the veins. Now the plants are growing really well. I even have a laurel tree growing in my aquaponics system. It is about 2 meters high. I personally would recommend it for pond owners and aquaponics systems, but you really don't need much of it. It dissolves really easy in water. And a little salinity is also good for the fish. 👍
My hollies, roses, hydrangeas and spireas loved it this year. I use it on my lime green smoke tree on occasion as well.
OK i'm going to try foliar epsom on beets this year, never get strong growth with them
I learn so much from you. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
I've never understood how water on plants can burn them. Does water on your skin burn you when you're in the sun? Have you ever touched a puddle after it rains and the day starts heating up? It's actually cooler than the dry ground in the sun.
Works like a magnifying glass.
@@charliemagoo7943 Did you even read my entire post before replying? Have you ever had any of your plants burnt by water?
@@pdav1285 sure did. Same answer the water is a magnifying glass.
@@charliemagoo7943 I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. However, studies have found that the only type of leaf that can be burned is certain types of plants with waxy raised hairs covering the leaves. The hairs can hold the water droplets above the surface of the leaf which can cause the heat to be trapped on the leaf's surface. But the sun rays have to hit the water at certain angles for it to happen, as well as, needing the droplets to be big enough to not have the sun's heat simply evaporate it. Also, any wind can move the droplet or blow it off the leaf. It's why plant leaves don't burn every time it heats up after raining.
I have an unrelated question.. .can you germinate the seeds from red chili flake’s seasoning. Or from anything pickled. Like any hot peppers in a jar with liquid from the store . I have always been very curious about this. And you definitely know what you’re at so my guess is you could say yes maybe or waste of time. 😅
i think she'd say 'try it if you want and see what happens' lol
Lmfao yes that is accurate
I believe this are “cooked” so they likely wouldn’t work. That and age obviously would plant a role.
Thanks for responding
I've grown heaven facing peppers from a bag of whole sundried ones. NA food processing is probably 'cooked' as she said, but sundried is still viable.
Just for tomatoes or can they be used on other veggies? Thnx
Everything technically lol. House Plants included
@@GardeningInCanada ..ty
Are you on Twitter/x?
No I have never been a Twitter person actually
GIC for president
Pffft 🤣😆 total anarchy would ensue. But I would employ the entire GIC Crew
💚💚
❤️❤️❤️
I don’t use it
Yea same. Maybe it will be my downfall
good info. thanks. susanna from Alberta
Glad it was helpful!
Great video 🇳🇿❤️🌱
Thanks for visiting
6:39 😂😂 ❤
But like… it’s his twin right? Either that or bill is looking rough af
@@GardeningInCanada zombie Bill might have competition.
@@GardeningInCanada will he have fun with our jokes or not
I live in Arizona with 110 degree temps and 14 + uv.... Water burns leaves for sure out here. Anything over 90 in high uv. Is risky.
Years ago professional rose growers advised application of 1/2 cup of Epson's Salts / rose bush to increase blooming. ???
I didn’t really look at any flower wise but the banana paper I spoke about would lend credence to that. Just water and epsom can be absorbed don’t get me wrong just not as affectively.
I also heard that it is good for the roots. Old advice from way back in the day, 1950's. Sorry. Showing my age.
@@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951 Yah I'm about the same vintage😊
Probably to tip the EC temporarily into generative (bloom) territory. We have that issue as well in cannabis and tomatoes, and it's carefully monitored and controlled. The other way to signal to the plant that 'you're gonna die -- procreate!' is water control, but epsom salt dump seems like the least offensive way TBH.
@@teac117 Very interesting. Thank you.👍