Roses and epsom salts?

[Kayla]

Could somebody please tell me if epsom salts are used to feed roses and what strength do I make the solution.

Thanks Lori

[David Bockman]

Kayla wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Hi Lori,

Many trees & shrubs can benefit from periodic feeding with liquid epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) because it promotes nitrogen uptake. Plants with blue foliage also 'blue up' when dosed with Epsom salts.

I use one tablespoon liquid epsom salts per gallon of water, or one teaspoon crystal epsom salts per gallon of water.

[Bourne Identity]

I use it because here where I garden the soil pH is about 8.0 and has iron locked up. The purpose of epsom is to unlock the iron making it easier for the plant to uptake that element. When I do it, I sprinkle a half to a whole cup of it at the base in a circle around the rose about a foot from the crown of the plant and water it well. You can also use some chelated iron and fish emulsion to help the plant green up and maintain health between bloom periods.

Victoria

[David Ross]

At the first feeding in the spring, I use about a tablespoonful of Epsom salts per rose bush. The magnesium sulfate is supposed to promote the sprouting of new canes. I use another tablespoonful in the early summer on those roses that do not have any new canes.

I just add Epsom salts to whatever I'm using to feed the bushes. I always feed using dry fertilizers. However, I always make sure the soil is at least slightly moist before feeding. After feeding, I water the roses to start dissolving the fertilizer.

[cat daddy]

Fertilize with Epsom Salts

History and Science of Epsom Salts What Our Testers Found Recent Studies of Epsom Salts

Roses Many rosarians agree that Epsom salts produces more new canes at the bottom of the plant (bottom breaks) and darker green foliage. Recommendations on how much to use vary, but generally you can apply 1/2 cup of granules in spring before buds first begin to open and 1/2 cup in fall before leaves drop. Apply a foliar spray (1 tablespoon per gallon of water per foot of shrub height) after the leaves open in spring and again at flowering.

[Dana Schultz]

Never thought of epsom salts for the garden. Although I use it in my fish tanks. When I clean the fish tanks I pour the water in the flowers, be it indoor or outdoor. My idea of fish emulsions! I shall try the salts on my rose bushes. Thanks for the ideas.

[Rolling Thunder]

What's your take on alfalfa tea with epsom salts?

Thunder

[cat daddy]

I started using it on some severely stressed 75 year-old pecan trees in our park this Spring. They had languished for years and suffered limb end die-off and sick looking leaves. The top soil had all washed away leaving high PH limestone rock and sand and several trees had died over the past few years. Last Fall, we ringed the trees with leaves (about 12' diameter) that eventually composted to a 6" layer, and spread composted wood chips over the whole area and had one of the wettest Novembers on record. In February, we spread about 200 lbs. of Starbucks coffee grounds per tree under the drip line and then about 12 gallons of alfalfa tea with Epsom salt twice per tree in early March. We've had one of the driest Springs on record here in central Texas, yet the pecans look great so far, and have even blossomed and are making little pecans for the first time I've seen in 10 years. Taken as a whole, the results have been better than expected. Whether the mulching and Fall rain alone would have achieved the same result is debatable, although I feel the added nutrients (including Triacontanol in alfalfa, a growth stimulant) and Epsom salt allowing their uptake contributed. We'll have another go at it starting next week and also feed the bermuda grass with it. I intend to have the leaves tested in July for nutrient deficiencies.

Here's a good site, although I make aerobic tea with aquarium air pumps.

Alfalfa Tea, the natural flower booster

[Rolling Thunder]

snip

Thanks for the info. I just saw a posting about alfalfa tea a bit ago and thought I'd try it on the plants in the yard. So far, the first test plants, Inca Lilly, have shown an improvement. Stem growth and increased number of flowers in less than a week.

Used three cups of alfalfa and 3 oz of epsom salts in a

5 gallon bucket. It was foaming after two days in this Carolina sun. I'm interested how it will do on the roses and tomato plants.

I was tempted to add some fish fertilizer but thought better of it. Thought it may over do things, ha!

Spent a little time in west Texas and Dallas area,

Thunder