Epsom salts are the essential oil of minerals. They have many uses and should be a staple for every household. Keep some around your house and find out how many different ways they can benefit your life.
If you have some Epsom salt hacks, don’t forget to share them because we are always looking for more ways to use the wonderful minerals that we’ve been given. But for now, let’s take a better look at how they can benefit plants.
What Is Epsom Salt Good For?
Epsom salt is good for a lot of things. It is traditionally used in baths for a variety of reasons, but in recent years, more uses have been discovered. While Epsom salts are good for your body, they are also good for your plants.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about Epsom salts and why you should use them in your garden.
Are Epsom Salts Safe?
This is a question we hear a lot and you are right to raise concerns when it comes to your plants, your pets, and your family. Most of the time, though Epsom salts cannot hurt you. However, there are some things to remember.
Don’t leave them down around kids or pets. Ingesting Epsom salts isn’t always safe. Especially if there are perfumes added to them, which is common for Epsom salts used for baths. Use plain Epsom salts for an added safety measure.
Is Epsom Salt Good For Plants?
When used in the garden, Epsom salt is known as magnesium sulfate. It is a mineral that helps seeds germinate, makes plants grow bushier, produces more flowers, increases chlorophyll production, and deters pests.
It is a great addition to any fertilizer or as a supplement to fertilizers that don’t have this mineral in them already. Here are a few reasons to use Epsom salts for your plants, gardens, and your lawn.
- Boost Seed Life – Magnesium boosts seed germination by giving seeds more energy and strengthen cell walls.
- Better Absorption Of Nutrients – It has been scientifically proven that that magnesium-sulfate can increase the ability of seeds and plants to absorb nutrients.
- Eliminate Root Shock – Plants tend to go into root shock when taken from one bed or pot to another. But Epsom salts in the soil can help make the transition easier.
- Keep Pests Away – Epsom salts can keep away bugs and other pests that can ruin your plants. While other materials can do this, they can also harm your plants, so it is counterproductive.
- Make Plants Greener – It’s a known fact that yellow plants can mean magnesium deficiency. So, adding magnesium sulfate can actually reverse that deficiency.
- More Flavorful Veggies – Epsom salts can really make your fruits, veggies, and other edibles more flavorful. Since it is safe to use on edible plants, this is really a no-brainer.
- Greener Lawns – Of course, if Epsom salts can make plants greener, they can make grass greener too. So, if your lawn is yellowed, try sprinkling it with some salts to bring it vibrancy.
- Healing Powers – Epsom salts are pH neutral and gentle on plants. They can do all sorts of wonderful things for your plants, so they just might be the magic you need.
Epsom Salt For Plants Indoors
Epsom salts are wonderful for houseplants. All you have to do is add 2 tablespoons per gallon of water when watering plants. But only feed most plants this concoction once a month or you may dry them out.
Fort heartier plants like roses, you can add 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant. In this case, you feed them twice a month instead. Till the soil around the plant to encourage growth and absorption.
When it comes to your indoor plants that aren’t planted yet, soak them in 1 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to prepare roots for planting. When it’s time to plant, you can add a tablespoon of Epsom salts to the soil in the flower pot.
Related: 10 Super Simple Ways To Use Coffee Grounds In The Garden
Epsom Salt In Garden
When it comes to gardens, there are a few things you can do to help them flourish with nothing but Epsom salts.
- Garden Base: add 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts sprinkled over every 9 square feet or 3×3 patch. Apply this in the root zone every couple of weeks.
- Yards: either sprinkle 3 pounds of Epsom salts over every 1,000-1,500 square feet of lawn. Or dilute the salts with water and spray it over your yard for quicker and more even coverage.
- Trees: add double the amount of Epsom salts for trees than you do gardens. But only do it at the base of the tree and the root zone every few months.
- Pre-Garden: before you plant your garden, you can mix 1 cup of Epsom salt per 100-sqft or 10×10 patch into the soil. Till it and plant your garden in this rich, now even more nutrient soil.
Other Epsom Salt Uses
There are so many uses for Epsom salts that we can’t name them all. But here are some of the best ways to use leftover Epsom salts from your garden for your own body. Because we all know you deserve it.
Alleviate Body Aches
You knew this one was coming if you’ve ever used Epsom salts before. Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to your bath to eliminate body aches. This is the most common use for Epsom salts and is the main reason people keep it around.
Sleep Aid
A magnesium deficiency can lower your serotonin levels, which can cause depression and lack of sleep. So soaking in Epsom salts is like soaking in serotonin, which will relieve stress, help you sleep, and make you happier.
Clean And Healthy Feet
If you have foot fungi of any kind, soaking your feet in Epsom salts can help to get rid of it. Though it doesn’t usually work alone, soaking them every night for a while can do a lot of good towards progress.
Anti-Inflammatory
If you have inflammatory problems or have problems with your arteries, then Epsom salts can help. They relax your body and your mind, which can improve the elasticity of arteries and relieve inflammation.
Soothe Sunburns
Epsom salts may be called salts but they can actually relieve sunburns and other more mild burns. So try soaking for a bit after a long day at the beach to relieve some of that red skin caused by the sun.
Removing Splinters
If you soak an area of your body with a splinter in Epsom salts for a few minutes, you can push it to the surface, soften the skin, and make it easier to remove. So try doing this before digging with tweezers.
Exfoliation
Epsom salts are known to be good exfoliators. So mix it with a little water and use it as a face mask, exfoliating skin, removing black heads, and giving you a generally cleaner and smoother face in the end.
Acne Remover
Because it is a good exfoliator and facial cleanser, Epsom salts make a good acne remover. Mix it with your normal facial cleanser for the best results. It should be used as an ingredient, not a treatment itself.
Shiny Hair
Epsom salts can cleanse your hair of harmful chemicals you’ve previously used. All you have to do is mix it with water and let it sit for a day. Then, pour it onto your hair and use it as a deep conditioner.
Hand Wash Ingredient
Adding Epsom salts to baby oil can create a perfectly balanced hand wash that not only cleanses your skin but also keeps it soft all day long. You can wash off the oil after applying and do this once a day.
Cold and Flu Treatment
Soaking in an Epsom bath can actually increase white blood cell counts to help fight off infection. Add essential oils to the bath that help fight off colds and flu for an extra boost to your treatment.
Itch Relief
Epsom salt on a wet cloth can help relieve bug bites, poison ivy itches, and more. Experiment with cold and warm water to find out what offers you a better relief for your itching and burning.
Cleaning With Epsom Salts
Epsom salts have many uses when it comes to cleaning. Though it can’t replace lemon juice or vinegar, it can help you reach a more natural cleaning routine.
Pots And Pans
Because Epsom salts are coarse and safe to use, they can do wonders for your pots and pans. So try using them by sprinkling some on stubborn stains and food on your pans and scrubbing with a rough brush.
Grout And Tile
Use equal parts Epsom salts and dishwashing liquid to create a tile and grout cleaner that really works. The salts add some coarseness while the liquid cleans. The two work well for a lot of different materials.
Washing Machine Cleaner
Let the washing tub fill with hot water before adding 1 quart of white vinegar and 1 cup of Epsom salt. Let it run for a minute, sit for an hour, and then rinse it out. This should remove any residue left by detergents.
Give Batteries New Life
Dissolve an ounce of Epsom salt in warm water to make a paste that can be added to car batteries. While this can work for any type of battery, it works even better for car batteries that need a little extra juice.
Frost Your Windows
Mix 1 – 1/2 cups boiling water with 1 cup Epsom salt and 3 tablespoons of liquid dish soap. Use it to create fake frost on your windows just in time for Christmas! You can also use it to make your windows less transparent.
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