You can add magnesium soil naturally using a few simple methods that work well for your plants. Epsom salt gives you the fastest results you can see. Lime breaks down slowly over many months. Compost adds smaller amounts along with other good stuff your soil needs.
I use Epsom salt for plants as my go-to fix whenever I spot signs of magnesium shortage. The yellow patches between green veins on older leaves tell me it's time to mix up a batch. Within 2-3 weeks of my first treatment, the yellowing stops spreading and new leaves come in green on my plants.
The recipe for your Epsom salt treatment is simple to follow. Mix 1 tablespoon per gallon of water in your watering can or spray bottle. You can pour this mix right on your soil as a drench or spray it on your leaves as a foliar feed. Your plants absorb magnesium through both their roots and leaf surfaces.
Foliar spraying works faster than soil drenching for quick magnesium deficiency treatment in your garden. Your leaves take in the nutrients right away without waiting for roots to pull them up. Spray early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid leaf burn from hot sun hitting your wet foliage.
For long term fixes, look to other natural magnesium sources that release slowly over time. Dolomitic limestone adds both magnesium and calcium to your soil over months. Work it into your top few inches of soil in fall and let it break down over winter. This won't give you quick fixes but prevents future shortages.
Compost contains small amounts of magnesium plus other trace minerals your plants need to thrive. Adding 2-3 inches of compost to your garden beds each year builds up magnesium levels over time. The organic matter also helps your soil hold onto nutrients better so your plants can grab them when needed.
Crushed eggshells don't add much magnesium on their own but they help you in another way. They provide calcium which works together with magnesium in your plant cells. Having the right balance between these two nutrients helps your plants use both of them better.
How often should you apply these treatments to your plants? For Epsom salt, use it once a month during the growing season if you've seen deficiency signs. Stop feeding in fall and winter when your plants slow down their growth. Too much magnesium can block calcium uptake so you don't want to overdo it.
Test your soil before you add lots of any amendment to it. Home test kits cost just a few dollars and tell you what your soil has and lacks. Some soils have plenty of magnesium but high pH locks it up. In that case adding more won't help you until you fix your pH problem first.
I keep a bag of Epsom salt in my garden shed for quick fixes when I spot trouble brewing in my beds. The combo of fast-acting Epsom salt and slow-release compost keeps my plants green all season long. Start with the quick fix and build up your soil health over time for the best results you can get.
Read the full article: 10 Reasons Why Leaves Turn Yellow
