On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She was
talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an Epsom
Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
Australian Climate.

Regards.

Lavinia Zammit wrote:
> On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She was
> talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an Epsom
> Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
> Australian Climate.
>
> Regards.
>
>
It is a source of Magnesium Sulfate aids in the production of
chlorophyll which is used by the plant in making food. It makes them
seem healthier and I know they are greener. In addition to the foliar
spray, I think Martha Stewart recommends in early Spring 1tsp per foot
of plant height be worked lightly into the soil around the plant base
and watered-in.
My package of Epsom salts has instructions for use on the back.
I use it as a soil drench on all my plants every time I fertilize at a
rate of 1tsp per gallon of water. We have mild Winters and long blazing
hot dry Summers here in southeast Texas, but I think it would be
beneficial in any climate. Some of the plants on which I have used it
are; Hydrangea, Hibiscus, Brugmansia, Daylily, Duranta, Iris, Abutilon,
Spider plants and Ivy and of course Roses. I even used it on an old
fashioned rose that I grew from a cutting taken in late March(Spring
here). It is in bloom now in spite of it's habit to bloom once in Spring.
Can't wait to try it on the veggie garden!


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

"Lavinia Zammit" <livy-mat [at] ihug.com.au.> wrote in message
news:437ed2d9$0$22497$5a62ac22 [at] per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She was
> talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an
Epsom
> Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
> Australian Climate.
>
> Regards.
>
>

I am not sure that I would trust anything Martha Stewart says about rose
culture!

Epsom salt is usually applied to the soil to encourage new basal breaks.

I mix Epsom Salt, celated iron, water soluable food and fish emulsion and
apply it in the spring.

Tim

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 07:54:17 -0700, "Tim Tompkins" <timpkins [at] frii.com>
wrote:

>
>"Lavinia Zammit" <livy-mat [at] ihug.com.au.> wrote in message
>news:437ed2d9$0$22497$5a62ac22 [at] per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>> On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She was
>> talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an
>Epsom
>> Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
>> Australian Climate.
>>
>> Regards.
>>
>>
>
>I am not sure that I would trust anything Martha Stewart says about rose
>culture!

I don't know why not. If you've ever seen pictures or video of her
rose garden, you'd be impressed with the health and vigor of her
plants (and no, I'm not necessarily a Martha apologist).

>Epsom salt is usually applied to the soil to encourage new basal breaks.

That was the first that I had heard about spraying the plant with
epsom salts. It was a surprise to me. I'd be interested in hearing
more about this.

>I mix Epsom Salt, celated iron, water soluable food and fish emulsion and
>apply it in the spring.

Add a little blood meal to that and you've got my general plan as
well. Well, I've missed the chelated iron...maybe I'll try that next
year.

"Tim Tompkins" <timpkins [at] frii.com> wrote in message
news:11nuf58oacsuk27 [at] corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Lavinia Zammit" <livy-mat [at] ihug.com.au.> wrote in message
> news:437ed2d9$0$22497$5a62ac22 [at] per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>> On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She
>> was
>> talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an
> Epsom
>> Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
>> Australian Climate.
>>
>> Regards.
>>
>>
>
> I am not sure that I would trust anything Martha Stewart says about rose
> culture!
>
> Epsom salt is usually applied to the soil to encourage new basal breaks.
>
> I mix Epsom Salt, celated iron, water soluable food and fish emulsion and
> apply it in the spring.
>
> Tim

I do something similar to Tim's approach. I use
alfalfa tea on my roses in spring and (sometimes)
fall. I mix alfalfa pellets in water letting it steep
for a week or so until it's stinky. Also added in
are chelated iron and epsom salts. In between
spring and fall I'll do at least one fish emulsion
feeding and also feed occasionally with seaweed
(sprayed from hose) and one of the easy mix
ferts like Miracle Gro or Peters.

I will also use Epsom Salts to mix into the soil
around a rose bush that is struggling (not growing
as well as I'd like) to try to encourage basel breaks.
Sometimes it works! :)

Gail
near San Antonio TX USA Zone 8

Thank you for answering my question.
Regards.
"Lavinia Zammit" <livy-mat [at] ihug.com.au.> wrote in message
news:437ed2d9$0$22497$5a62ac22 [at] per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She was
> talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an
Epsom
> Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
> Australian Climate.
>
> Regards.
>
>

While living in Arkansas, I watched a local TV show once that showed a man
who used Epsom salts (one or two Tbsp per gallon of water) on his sweet
potatoes. It made them get up to 9 pounds and he was trying for one that
was over 10. He used it once a week and sprayed the leaves and the ground
around the base of the plants.

Then he said it helped his other plants, one of which was roses. I guess
there was no end to what you could use it on. After moving to Kansas I told
my extension agent about it. He replied that Kansas had enough magnesium in
the soil, and I didn't need to use it. I guess it depends on your local
soil conditions.

Dwayne




"Lavinia Zammit" <livy-mat [at] ihug.com.au.> wrote in message
news:43803711$0$30810$5a62ac22 [at] per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> Thank you for answering my question.
> Regards.
> "Lavinia Zammit" <livy-mat [at] ihug.com.au.> wrote in message
> news:437ed2d9$0$22497$5a62ac22 [at] per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>> On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She
>> was
>> talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an
> Epsom
>> Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
>> Australian Climate.
>>
>> Regards.
>>
>>
>
>