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Epsom salt is an organic trick known by a few gardeners. It contains several minerals that help your plants grow and thrive, restoring the natural ecosystem of your garden, and it can help you maintain rich, healthy soil. Here are 12 ways to use Epsom salt for your plants and garden!
1. Enhance Seed Germination
One of the key compounds of Epsom salt is magnesium. This helps to enhance seed germination rate because it fortifies cell walls and supports growth. After seeding, mix one tablespoon of Epsom salt with a gallon of water and sprinkle it on the soil after planting the seed. For wildflowers, spread one cup of salt for every 100 square feet and combine it with the soil.
2. Improve Your Lawn
You can restore the health and vivid colors of your lawn by using 3 lbs of Epsom salt for every 1,250 square feet. You can either apply it as it is on the lawn or combine it with water.
3. Foliar Spray
Epsom salt can provide a few plants, including tomatoes, with much-needed magnesium. Combine a tablespoon of salt for each gallon of water and apply to your plants when you see small leaves starting to grow. It should not be applied in bright sun; rather, early in the morning or during cloudy weather. It was proven that fruits grow bigger and plants have richer foliage.
4. Beautiful Blooms
Epsom salts are used to generate beautiful, healthy blooms and bushes. If the flowers are not planted yet, soak them in Epsom solution (1 tablespoon per one gallon of water) or simply add a tablespoon of salt in the planting hole. For grown plants, add one tablespoon for each foot of plant height as fertilizer.
5. Transplants
Before moving your plants or seedlings, add a tablespoon of Epsom salt in the planting holes. This will prevent them from wilting as a result of transplant shock. Add a layer of high-quality soil on top of the salt before putting the plants in the ground or pots.
6. Rejuvenate Mature Plants
Mature plants often get yellow or dry foliage. You can restore their vibrant colors by spraying them with a mixture of one tablespoon of Epsom salt for every four cups of water per foot of plant height. The high content of magnesium in Epsom salt will return the fresh beauty of your mature plants.
7. Nurture Landscaping Trees
Some trees, including tropical and landscaping varieties, benefit from Epsom salt. For instance, palm trees often lack magnesium which leads to frizzy leaves that turn light green. Add Epsom salt around the tree base or spray the leaves with one tablespoon of salt mixed with one gallon of water.
8. Delicious Fruits and Nuts
During the growing season, you can boost the aroma and taste of fruits, nuts, berries, and grapevines using Epsom salt. Combine one tablespoon of Epsom salt with one gallon of water and apply to the roots of your fruit-bearing plants and trees.
9. Slug Control
Although it is not a long-term solution that eliminates slugs, you can sprinkle Epsom salt in areas where you notice slugs in order to get rid of them. As a long-term solution, it’s best to attract natural predators into your garden, such as frogs or birds, keeping the natural balance.
10. Heal Your Houseplants
Houseplants may be adversely affected by the lack of complex nutrients found in soil. Potted plants can be nourished using two tablespoons of salts mixed with a gallon of water. Spray this mixture on their leaves, not on their roots. You can also add the salt directly to the soil.
11. Natural Insecticide
Mix 5 gallons of water with one cup of Epsom salt and spray on your plant leaves. This acts as a natural insecticide and helps to deter insect populations from coming to your garden.
12. Declutter Your Garden
If you have any tree stumps around your garden you’d like to eliminate with ease, you can use Epsom salt. Drill holes in the tree stump that reach about half of the depth of the stump, fill them with salt, and drizzle water enough to moisten it. Cover the stump and let the salt dry the tree stump until you will be able to cut the stump and dig the roots.
