Epsom Salt???

New to gardening and I never heard of using Epsom salt before. Someone told me he used it on his grass and it came in thicker then ever! I have also seen people making reference to it here; one person responded to my quote on what to use for planting Rhodos say it would work well with them too? What types of plants like this and how should it be applied, directly or with water and in what quantity?

I havnt tried it yet but heres what it says on the back of my bag of Epsom Salt. Hope it helps.

Lawns-apply at a rate of 1/2 lb per one thousand square feet of lawn

Garden plants & shrubbery-sprinkle 2 tablespoons around the base of each plant

Tomatos, roses-one tsp per foot plant height every two weeks

Evergreens, azaleas, rhododendrons-one tbs per nine sqare feet(3' x 3') over the root zone every two to four weeks

Trees-2 tbsper nine sqare feet over rot zone once every four months

Garden startup-sprinkle approximately one cup per 100 sq. ft. (10' x 10') and mix into soil prior to planting

houseplants-mix one tsp per gallon of wter and feed to plants every one to four weeks

For quicker results water plants after applying this product.

What is Epson Salt suppose to do? Does it correct some kind of nutritional deficiency in plants? I've heard a few references about using this, but nobody has gone into detail about why you'd want to use it. I think I remember someone saying something about iron deficiency.

Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) (MgSO4)is a good source of magnesium. It works well IF you have a magnesium defiency.If you have sufficient magnesium it does not. Those of us with naturally acid soil soils used dolomitic limestone to maintain pH and Magnesium.

I always use it on tomato plants. The old saying is that it will prevent blossom end rot.

Hi - According to Jerry Baker, the Master Gardener,
Epsom Salt does 3 things:
Stimulates root growth
Provides nutrients
Makes leaves thicker and greener
If you have access to Netflix, you can order his
DVDs on various gardening topics.
He also has several books out, you could check
your library. Hope this helps.

I read somewhere that you shouldn't use it if your local water contains a lot of magnesium already, the example being Southern Californians and those getting their water from the Colorado River.

Orindarose, you may be right; however, I tried his tips
on gardening and have never had a problem, either
here or back in Chicago, and I have no clue as to
the composition of the water in either location.

Like the old joke about the guy who goes to the doctor
and complains that his shoulder hurts whenever he
raises his arm, and the doctor tells him "Then don't
do that," it's a simple solution - check it out.
Betcha dollars to doughnuts 99.9% of us have no
clue as to the breakdown of our local water supply,
except that it is either "hard" or "soft," but you may
be on to something - it may be worth a look.
I just garden by the seat of my pants - some things
work, some things don't. The fun is in the doing.