Epsom Salts for Growing Herbs

Garden Preparation

• Add Epsom salt to the garden soil before placing seeds or plants in the ground. Prepare the garden soil as usual and mix 1 cup of Epsom salt per 100 square feet of garden space. Work the Epsom salt into the garden soil with a garden rake and then place the seeds and plants.

Planted Garden Preparation

• After amending the soil with Epsom salt and placing the herbs in the garden soil, water the plants in with a solution of 1 tbsp. of Epsom salt per gallon of water. An easy way of applying this solution is through a sprayer, but a watering can works. Apply this solution again one month later. If the blooms are the valued part of the herb, apply again once the plant begins blooming.

Container Herbs

• Any herb, except sage, recently been placed in a container garden benefits from Epsom salt. When the herb is first placed in the container, water the plant in with a solution of 2 tbsp. of Epsom salt and a gallon of water. Repeat this process once a month. For herbs that have been in containers for a while, Epsom salt aids in removing natural salt. As the plant takes up the Epsom salt, salt in the root cells is flushed out. This allows the herb to utilize fertilizer more effectively.

Maximizing Epsom Salt

• To get the most out of Epsom salt, the plant needs to receive as much sunlight as possible. This is especially important with herbs that are moved indoors. When a plant is moved indoors, place it in a window receiving as much sunlight as possible while meeting the plant's requirements. Another approach is to place the herbs under a grow light. Both approaches help the plant's photosynthetic process while maximizing Epsom salt benefits.