Epsom salt and gypsum are harming organic agriculture and are widespread over-recommended. The sulfate (SO4) requires a ton of energy from the plant to use it. You’re basically oxidizing your soils, which is bad. The only time that epsom salt or gypsum should be used is when you have a very high carbon content, like your soil is black and completely loaded with organic life. Then your soil can probably handle the sulfate burden.

There’s not any silver bullet for this. You should get equipment so that you can economically make foliar sprays weekly or even twice/week. Foliars with 70% magnesium acetate and 30% magnesium citrate are probably the best for the money. Target solution for foliar: EC 1000 uS/cm once per week or 600 uS/cm twice per week (better). AEA probably sells a good magnesium foliar that is basically what I just described.

Dolomitic limestone is what I would add to my soil with magnesium deficiency. It will have very little disruption to the Eh and pH of the soil because, it’s basically insoluble, unless the plants want to dissolve it, and when they do, they get more carbon! Yes, you’ll increase your calcium content too, but it’s already so high, it does not matter. The most important thing is that you’re getting your carbon levels higher and higher, so that the plant has enough energy to choose what nutrients it wants to get. When the plant doesn’t have energy, it can’t choose what to take.

Increase magnesium through foliar–>more chlorophyll–>more energy/carbon in soil and plant–> more ability to choose nutrients –> selectively dissolve dolomitic limestone –>more chlorophyll and carotenoids(from finding iron in soil)–> better photosynthesis –>more energy/carbon in soil and plant–>. etc etc positive feedback loop

…but you’ll need to do magnesium foliars (NOT with epsom salt) for at least a few years until you get your carbon in the soil much higher.

• This reply was modified 2 months ago by  Benny Thompson.
• This reply was modified 2 months ago by  Benny Thompson.
• This reply was modified 2 months ago by  Benny Thompson.