Conifers are easy-care hedge or solitary plants and are often cultivated in the garden. A few care measures are still necessary so that the hobby gardener can enjoy his conifers for a long time. This includes fertilizing with Epsom salts.
Epsom salt is a good conifer fertilizer
What is Epsom salt and when is it necessary?
Epsom salt is a special fertilizer used for conifers and other conifers. It provides the nutrients magnesium and sulfur. In addition, Epsom salt lowers the pH of the soil. It is dosed individually depending on the soil conditions.
Epsom salt becomes necessary, though
- the needles of the conifers turn yellow
- the plant shows only a stunted growth
- susceptibility to disease is observed
- the plant appears sapless and powerless
The application of Epsom salts
If you stick to the information on the package, nothing can usually go wrong. However, mistakes are often made during application, which then lead to acidification of the soil, which also has a negative effect on the plant.
Application tips
- a soil analysis brings accuracy about the condition of the soil, either with an analysis set from the specialist market or a laboratory test (expensive)
- Examine the condition of your garden soil. The need for magnesium changes depending on whether the soil is light (contains a lot of sand), medium-heavy (with sand, humus and loam) or even heavy (with loam and clay). Here, the soil analysis provides the necessary information as to what type of soil it is.
- If the initial magnesium content in the soil is known, it can be dosed accordingly. It is best to follow the product manufacturer's instructions.
- If the soil lacks other substances besides magnesium, a multi-component fertilizer should be used.
- An acute Epsom salt deficiency can be remedied directly with a spray solution. For this, 200 mg of Epsom salt is dissolved in 10 l of water and the plant is sprayed. The procedure should not be performed in sunshine as the solution would burn the leaves.