MythBusters #1: Epsom Salt will make my plants healthy

Really? If Epsom Salt really made plants healthy, then the entire hobby of growing plants would become quite simple. Unfortunately, using Epsom Salt not only makes very little difference to the plant, but is actually quite harmful to our environment.

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So, what really is Epsom Salt. The scientific name of Epsom Salt is Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4). Epsom Salt derives its name from “Epsom” where it was originally identified occurring naturally in springs. It is also naturally found in mines and limestone caves all across the world. In old times, it was obtained by evaporating water from lakes and springs that are rich in magnesium sulphate. Due to its use in medicines and in agriculture it is now synthetically manufactured as well.

The critical question for growers of xerophytes is will Epsom Salt usage make the plants healthy?

Why is Magnesium important in plants? Magnesium (Mg) is one of the 17 macronutrients that are required for good health of plants. Without adequate magnesium, plants cannot efficiently convert sunlight into energy. It also plays an important role in enzyme activation, protein synthesis and acts as a phosphorus carrier in plants which is essential for phosphate metabolism. Magnesium is the central core of the chlorophyll molecule in plant tissue. It is required for the overall growth of the plant.

Why is Sulphur important in plants? Sulphur (S) is also an essential macronutrient for plant growth, development, and to balance the response to environmental changes. It is required for the biosynthesis of proteins, enzymes, vitamins and amino acids. Simply put – Sulphur has a critical role in photosynthesis, in the energy metabolism and in the production of carbohydrates.

Epsom Salt is a good source of both Magnesium and Sulphur for plants which are essential macronutrients for plants. Now, the important question is should Epsom Salt be added to planters in which xerophytes are being grown? Short answer – NO and SAVE MONEY while NOT ENDANGERING PLANTS. Remember Magnesium and Sulphur have a critical role in ‘photosynthesis’ of plants and more the leaves in a plant more the photosynthesis required and vice versa. Since xerophytes have significantly less leaves and hence photosynthesis requirements than traditional foliage plants or herbaceous crops, Epsom Salt requirement therefore becomes that much less.

We are not saying Magnesium and Sulphur are not required by xerophytes – BUT, the requirement is quite miniscule when compared to commercial crop growing or foliage intensive plant growing. Based on our experience and knowledge, we have resorted to completely inorganic slow release fertilising of xerophytes for optimal results over the last decade which has given us extremely good results when compared to using organic fertilisers and additives like Epsom Salt. The point here is to remember that our completely inorganic and slow release fertilisers include the tiny proportions of micro and macro nutrients required by plants along with the critical nutrients – Nitrogen, Pottasium and Phosphorus (NPK). So, what is essential is the use of balanced fertiliser for your plants rather than going by what typically the sellers or sellers in the guise of influencers tell you.

Epsom Salt is recommended for usage in COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE where crops are grown in hectares and not in small planters. The optimum Magnesium concentration in plants is is 0.15–0.50% of leaf dry weight. 😊 

What happens if you use too much Epsom salt in plants?

• Adding Epsom salts in higher concentrations can actually harm your plants by creating nutrient imbalance and inhibiting calcium & potassium uptake. Spraying higher concentrations of Epsom salt solutions on plant leaves can cause leaf scorch.

• Excess magnesium can increase mineral contamination in water that percolates through media.

• Defoliation of leaves also occurs during the final stages of Magnesium toxicity

Summary – Epsom Salt is no magic bullet. It does not have the magical properties garden myths assign to it. It does nothing to correct media pH in any appreciable way, it’s magnesium and sulphur in the form of a salt. If you use large quantities of Epsom Sale to try to make the growing media more acidic, remember nothing would grow in that media for a long, long time. Also, most good quality fertilisers contain that tiny bit of Magnesium and Sulphur as macronutrients. Random use of Epsom Salt, without understanding the needs and implications, can ruin the garden and can also kill or deform the plants if overused.

The only real way to know if your planting media is lacking magnesium or sulphur is to test it. Just as you will yourself not consume any magical medicine or supplement till you are not 100% sure of it, do not let your expensive plants have them either. TEST your media if you really want to feed it Epsom Salt if it is deficient in Magnesium and Sulphur. If you add Epsom salts to media that already has sufficient magnesium, this can harm plants and contaminate the media. 

Before deciding to use Epsom Salt, look for an alternative slow-release form of magnesium that will have longer-lasting effects.

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