The Best Growing Tomatoes - Does Using Epsom Salt Help Your Tomato Plants?

Many gardeners can attest to the popularity of growing tomatoes. The taste of a recently picked juicy tomato is hard to beat. When trying the produce thebest growing tomatoespossible, it is important to make sure the soil has adequate minerals. You may have wondered if using epsom salt can help your tomato plants.

Epsom salt has been used for generations among gardeners. It is a safe and naturally occurring nutrient that contains 2 elements essential for plant growth - 13% sulphur and 10% magnesium. A deficiency of magnesium is usually caused by either a lack of soil magnesium (commonly seen in light, sandy, or acid soils), or by mineral imbalances in the soil or plant.

A magnesium deficiency can cause bitter tasting tomatoes, leaf curling, yellowing between the leaf veins, decreased fruit production, and stunted growth.

There are many ways that epsom salt can help you produce the best growing tomatoes possible:

1) enables the plants to absorb more calcium and other important nutrients from the soil

2) spraying the leaves adds magnesium to the plants

3) improves the growth and overall health

4) helps prevent blossom-end rot

5) increases germination of seeds

6) helps set more blossoms

It is important to test your soil first to makes sure it does not already have a high level of magnesium in it. Most gardeners will mix 1 tablespoon of the salt per gallon of water, and then water their tomato plants weekly. It can also be used as a foliar spray when your plants begin flowering, and again when the tomatoes first form. Another method of adding the salt to your soil is to mix 1 or 2 tablespoons into the soil at the bottom of the planting hole.

A bonus to using the salt is that by sprinkling it on top of the soil, you will deter slugs and snails from bothering your tomato plants.

These are just several methods of how using epsom salt can help you produce healthy and vigorous tomato plants. Growing tomatoes can be fun and provide many tasty additions to your menu!

Deborah is an avid gardener with a special interest in growing tomato plants. Are you trying to grow the best juicy and tasty tomato possible, and avoid disease, pests, and soil problems? Best Growing Tomatoes. Check out this fantastic guide on how to grow fabulous tomatoes right now! http://www.bestgrowingtomatoes.info

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