Has anyone used Epsom salt on iris

I have used epsom salt for my roses for many years with GREAT results and I am wondering if someone has done a test with iris ? some of my small co-op irises from last year are lagging behind and could use a boost.

What I have done on smaller ones here when I RECEIVE them will soak iris in mild espom salt for one hour then plant...seems to bring them back to live. But have never used in the iris field.

D

Thanks Denise,
that's great information,will keep that in mind.I just received some lousy ones and I hate to say I even paid for them....will test them.

BTW for the vegetable gardeners around here who don't know this but epsom salt works great on tomato plants as well.

someone yesterday said something about epson salt and beer. We wre at an orientation for DD's college. They said it seems to work well, but didn't know the amounts of each for the solution.

Slug control too? I will have to research this.

Epsom salts is used to bathe sprained ankles from too much beer.

Epsom salts are used on roses in our hot climates to cause the leaves to retain more water. The leaves have more substance, more durability in the heat thus wilt less quickly. How that would translate to iris I'm not certain. Maybe there's an expert who knows.

Thanks for the wisdom from Salem, IL. Cheers! LOL!!

K

Yupp,you're right.
Epsom salt is great to soak your sore/tired/ feet in too ...hmmmmm and probably sometimes the beer had something to do with .....LOL.

Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. And, apparently roses are a magnesium hungry plant.

I would say not necessary, unless your soil is deficient in magnesium.

My 2 cents...

I took a year-long class a few years ago, and they were adamant about including 1 cup of epsom salts with the first feeding of the roses (any roses) - if you have minis, cut back accordingly, but since I started doing this every spring, my roses have all become vibrant and healthy. But, haven't t ried on iris, and haven't heard of anyone who has - will see if I can find any reliable info from my garden club members and fellow MG's. Susan

As mentioned in my first post I have used Epsom salt early in the spring for many years on my roses and they seem to love it.
The only member who has used Epsom salt on irises is Denise,see above.Would be great to find out if others have in some form ?

In Las Vegas, every spring I get a large amount of Epsom Salt from the pharmacy department a Costco. Cheaper than at the nursery. Then I treat the whole landscape with just a little bit. I ealk around like I am spreading grass seed asnd just sling it around the landscape.

My roses get 1/2 cup and my tomatoes newly planted the same. My father told me when I first started gardening that Epsom made plants have stronger stalks and branches. I put it on my daylilies this year. I will show you one of the stalks. But I also think thr daylily was trying to grow high enough to get sun next to the very tall Tropicana, on steriods, Canna.

Of course, I am in the SW and we have terrible soil, mine has been nurtured for year but the heat just robs the soil of its energy and ingredients every day. I compost, because I can 365 days a year and I also spread coffee ground just like grass seed. The worms come to find it.


Photo is Day Lily.

These are my tomatoes. Super Phosphate, Cottonseed Meal, Epsom Salts and Soil Sulfur.

Hi Sharon - I think you should up the es to 1 cup for the roses - this told to me by my rose judge/blue ribbon winning rose friend (won 2 blue ribbons this past week - flowers are gorgeous). Anyway, she swears by this and grows more than 120 roses in any given year. But I think you're right about the rest - a light sprinkling couldn't hurt and would probably help a lot, especially younger perennials. Anyway, that what I'd do. And your tomatoes look like they like what you're doing, so keep it up! Sue

Thanks for the input Sue. I will try that on some of the roses next year to see what the difference would be. I only have about 30. I do no know how she takes care of 120 unless she has nothing else she grows.

I use it on every thing in garden !

WOW tazzy that is good to hear,I remember seeing your irises and daylilies some time ago.How much do tou give the DL and when ?

i just pour it on every thing and water in .
i just start down and and pour it till i run out . I am not to accurate on amounts ^_^
I do it once in Spring !

Tazzy, where do you purchase your Epsom Salts? Have you found a supplier with large quantities.

Dollar store use to have 4 Lb for a dollar not any more !
i got 2 Lb boxes from Big lots for 2 dollars each this Spring .

I purchased mine at Costco in the Pharmacy Department. . I will have to check the price. How many pounds do you think you use a year. I willl check back.

Our Dollar store doesn't have it anymore either so I paid $ 1.39 per box around here.
Tazzy I also don't measure anymore,just throw it around the bushes.
I have some of my own daylily crosses near some rosebushes and they ARE very strong and now I wonder if th Epsom salt had something to do with it.Should test it on some other plants.Interesting !

bought mine at a CVS pharmacy, in 1/2 gallon type paper pour container, looks like an old milk box. No clue how many #s. Think it was $1.25 but that was a while back and I bought 6.

I buy a large bag of it in the garden center and sprinkle it all over the flower beds at the time I'm applying my fertilizers. It helps the plants take in the nutrients they need. I just throw it around and let the crystals land where they will. A good time to do this is when you are expecting some rain so the granules will soak into the ground.

can you do it now? I didn't know to do this in spring.

WalMart sells it in the Pharmacy in a resealable bag--want to say it's about 3-5 lbs for $3 or $4. In the spring/summer they try to cross merchandise it in the garden center for a while too.

So you just top dress existing plantings and maybe work into the planting hole for new plantings, right? Just wanted to clarify so I don't mess something up:lol: And reapply each spring right?

Dmac,
I have never put it into the planting hole myself but for ROSES I put in ( breakfast haha )
1 egg,
coffeegrounds
1 banana peeling
But I feed them epsom salt in the spring and actually I just did recently AGAIN because I had some left over.

bonjon,mine look like in milk containers as well, I just have not been able to buy it in bulk which I would love to since my gardens kind of run away from me and they are getting larger.
Just my own observation,a peony " Sarah Bernhard" which is very close to roses and could/would have gotten some of the epsom salt treatment in spring LOOKS much stronger than some others in different locations,especially the stems and I am happy to anounce the blossoms didn't droop as much ( heavy blossoms ) ?
did anyone notice any noticable difference ?

mainly weak stems on SB. that from a specialist. Our peonies in front of the house came from my childhood home & are supposedly Sarah B. I keep the rings around them.

I keep supports all around other Sarah Bernhards and most others but this particular one caught my eye.The stems are strong !

I have only used it as a top dressing.

Great in a hot tub to soak after pulling weeds too.