Epsom Salt In Soil

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pahudson

Member
Hey guys,

I posted this question in another section but didn't really get an answer. I always seem to get a magnesium deficiency during flowering, usually in the 3rd week. I have been using a cal/mag supplement but I would like to stop for 2 reasons. The first is that I hate treating a magnesium deficiency with a calcium and magnesium supplement. The second is that I would like to stop the deficiency before it starts instead of letting it begin to develop and then reacting. I have seen that some organic growers add epsom salt to their soil before planting as a magnesium source. I always add dolomite lime for ph buffering and calium/magnesium. I use Jacks classic fertilizer (10-30-20) during flower. Can I add epsom salt to my soil before hand? Will this cause any lockouts? How much should I add? Any help from someone with experience would be great. I realize that this is the organic growers section but I'm sure someone here can give me a hand?
 
Matt Rize

Matt Rize

Hashmaster
I have been in this scenario and found this magnesium product. Don't know if that helps.

"Mag Amped™ is a pure Magnesium chelate, which is easily assimilated by the plants. Magnesium is the primary element involved in chlorophyll production. Chlorophyll essentially equates to the source of a plant’s energy. Mag Amped™ amplifies the overall chlorophyll production in plants. Extra Magnesium helps plants produce chlorophyll in lower light situations (both in intensity and duration). Using Mag Amped™ in foggy, filtered, or low intensity light, as well as short duration light cycles, helps to enhance a plant’s chlorophyll and in turn, can boost the plant’s energy level."

from: http://www.cuttingedgesolutions.org/catalog/additives.php
 
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pahudson

Member
Actually I'm looking to add roughly a cup of epsom salt per bail of promix along with dolomite lime and hoping that this is enough magnesium to get me through a full flower cycle (or close to it). I am wondering if doing so will cause lockouts of other vital nutrients when I fertilize. Anyone?
 
Spanishfly

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member
Can you overdose with Epsom salt?? Probably not - I find talk about overferting is just more BS. None of us give too much NPK if we stick even approximately to suppliers´ instructions - not by a long way.

I find a little MgSO4 goes an awful long way - I just give a teaspoon a gallon 2 or 3 times only in the growing season.
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
pahudson said:
Actually I'm looking to add roughly a cup of epsom salt per bail of promix along with dolomite lime and hoping that this is enough magnesium to get me through a full flower cycle (or close to it). I am wondering if doing so will cause lockouts of other vital nutrients when I fertilize. Anyone?
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I do this because sometimes the mag from the dolomite isn't available right away.

For an entire bale (3.8cf size), I would use a bit more than 1 cup, but it really isn't that important if the dolomite is there also. I don't see any lockout problems, I haven't had any.

As SF said, a little goes a long way and is super easy to add down the line if you need it. I also give my plants a shot 2 or 3 times during the grow.

Wet
 
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pahudson

Member
Spanishfly said:
Can you overdose with Epsom salt?? Probably not - I find talk about overferting is just more BS. None of us give too much NPK if we stick even approximately to suppliers´ instructions - not by a long way.

I find a little MgSO4 goes an awful long way - I just give a teaspoon a gallon 2 or 3 times only in the growing season.
Click to expand...
Are we speaking about indoors? I will agree I've never really had a huge problem with over fertilizing, however, I have grown zombie and california orange and found that the cali orange could take more fertilizer. Not to say that I had an issue with over fertilizing so I think the point you make is definitely valid. I am just looking to add the magnesium when I prepare the soil that way I don't even see the magnesium deficiency but I guess I could just add it when I see the problem. Thanks for the reply.
 
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pahudson

Member
Wetdog said:
I do this because sometimes the mag from the dolomite isn't available right away.

For an entire bale (3.8cf size), I would use a bit more than 1 cup, but it really isn't that important if the dolomite is there also. I don't see any lockout problems, I haven't had any.

As SF said, a little goes a long way and is super easy to add down the line if you need it. I also give my plants a shot 2 or 3 times during the grow.

Wet
Click to expand...
I veg my plants in 1 gallon containers and then transplant to 3 gallon containers and flower immediately roughly at 1.5-2 feet tall. Towards the end of the veg period they begin to show magnesium deficiency so I water with epsom salt from the hydro store. I always add dolomite lime to my soil mix and fertilize with Jack's 10-30-20 (and silicate) but the magnesium deficiency comes back around week 3. Typically, I use a cal/mag supplement, but I hate supplementing with cal/mag when I believe the problem is only magnesium. Maybe I'm wrong?? Thank you for the advice, if you have any more feel free I'm all ears!!
 
mouse1818

mouse1818

Well-Known Member
I just added 1/2 cup pure epsom salt to my composting soil hopefully I dont have mg/sulfur deficiency's on my next garden.
 
Dr.Pecker

Dr.Pecker

Well-Known Member
pahudson said:
Hey guys,

I posted this question in another section but didn't really get an answer. I always seem to get a magnesium deficiency during flowering, usually in the 3rd week. I have been using a cal/mag supplement but I would like to stop for 2 reasons. The first is that I hate treating a magnesium deficiency with a calcium and magnesium supplement. The second is that I would like to stop the deficiency before it starts instead of letting it begin to develop and then reacting. I have seen that some organic growers add epsom salt to their soil before planting as a magnesium source. I always add dolomite lime for ph buffering and calium/magnesium. I use Jacks classic fertilizer (10-30-20) during flower. Can I add epsom salt to my soil before hand? Will this cause any lockouts? How much should I add? Any help from someone with experience would be great. I realize that this is the organic growers section but I'm sure someone here can give me a hand?
Click to expand...
Nix the epsom and the lime. Get a ph test kit. ph adjust the nutrient solution. 6.3 ph would be your target if its over 6.5 you will have problems. Promix is pre buffered and its not soil, its a soil-less mix. As far as the epsom goes I would just use the calmag. Some of that stuff drops the ph so anytime you add to the nutrient solution you want to check and adjust the ph. upload_2015-6-16_11-52-7.jpeg
 
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old shol4evr

Well-Known Member
Dr.Pecker said:
Nix the epsom and the lime. Get a ph test kit. ph adjust the nutrient solution. 6.3 ph would be your target if its over 6.5 you will have problems. Promix is pre buffered and its not soil, its a soil-less mix. As far as the epsom goes I would just use the calmag. Some of that stuff drops the ph so anytime you add to the nutrient solution you want to check and adjust the ph. View attachment 3441339
Click to expand...
i agree with the doc ,epsom and lime both bring your ph way up,calimagic is the way to go at least until you are for sure you have a problem,some strains are calmag whores
 
ButchyBoy

ButchyBoy

Well-Known Member
Hello old thread :lol:

I have been adding epsom salt to my soil when I mix it. I add 1/4 cup to 18 gallons of soil. So far I haven't seen any ill effects.

I do have a bottle of Cal-Mag collecting dust with all of the other bottles of crap! :lol:

Here are the amendments that I use. I mix 1/2 used soil, 1/4 Pro-mix HP, 1/4 Happy Frog soil conditioner and a small amount of perlite making 18 gallons of new soil. Then I add 1/4 cup of each amendment. The one that says all natural is Azomite. These along with a bag of Pro-mix and Happy frog comes to around $120 and will last a year or so. That's pretty cheap compared to purchasing a bunch of bottles over a years time.

IMG_1783.JPG

I have not let it cook and just plant in it right away! Here is a current flower room shot taken a few minutes ago. Water only every 7-10 days or so. The plant in the right rear is at day 44 and is starting to show some fade on the large fan leafs.

IMG_1757.JPG

When I harvest a plant I pull the root ball and toss another plant in its place. 18 gallon tubs get between 1/2 to 1 gallon of water depending. 1 gallon will cause around 3 cups of runoff. That smart pot will possibly be phased out soon as I like the plastic tubs betterer. :bigjoint:


Edit: I stopped PHing my water..... it made no difference!
 
Dr.Pecker

Dr.Pecker

Well-Known Member
ButchyBoy said:
Hello old thread :lol:

I have been adding epsom salt to my soil when I mix it. I add 1/4 cup to 18 gallons of soil. So far I haven't seen any ill effects.

I do have a bottle of Cal-Mag collecting dust with all of the other bottles of crap! :lol:

Here are the amendments that I use. I mix 1/2 used soil, 1/4 Pro-mix HP, 1/4 Happy Frog soil conditioner and a small amount of perlite making 18 gallons of new soil. Then I add 1/4 cup of each amendment. The one that says all natural is Azomite. These along with a bag of Pro-mix and Happy frog comes to around $120 and will last a year or so. That's pretty cheap compared to purchasing a bunch of bottles over a years time.

View attachment 3442116

I have not let it cook and just plant in it right away! Here is a current flower room shot taken a few minutes ago. Water only every 7-10 days or so. The plant in the right rear is at day 44 and is starting to show some fade on the large fan leafs.

View attachment 3442132

When I harvest a plant I pull the root ball and toss another plant in its place. 18 gallon tubs get between 1/2 to 1 gallon of water depending. 1 gallon will cause around 3 cups of runoff. That smart pot will possibly be phased out soon as I like the plastic tubs betterer. :bigjoint:


Edit: I stopped PHing my water..... it made no difference!
Click to expand...
op is running jacks classic in promix so it's not organic
 
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