Roses are a gardener’s delight, treasured for their large, fragrant blooms, and it appears there’s a natural method to boost these blooms using an item likely found in your bathroom. Deb, a gardener with over two decades of expertise and the founder of Woodbridge Greenhouses, has shared that Epsom salt can be used on roses to help them thrive and produce larger flowers.
She said, “I have used many home remedies for roses. Banana peels, egg shells, coffee grounds and soapy water all can benefit your roses and banish pests and diseases. So began a brief exploration into Epsom salts. “If used as directed, Epsom salt is said to make plants stronger, produce lusher foliage, bigger blooms, and encourage roses to send out new canes (branches) low on the bush.” So, what are the advantages of nourishing roses with Epsom salt? Epsom salts, typically used as a bath soak to calm skin or treat aching feet, also function as a natural fertiliser for roses due to their magnesium content, which stimulates plant growth.
Deb explained: “Epsom salts are naturally occurring minerals known as magnesium sulfate.” Magnesium assists flowers in nutrient absorption, encouraging growth and potentially leading to more abundant blooms.
This could result in more vibrant roses in the next flowering season. If your rose leaves have turned a concerning shade of yellow, it could be a sign they’re desperately crying out for magnesium, with gardeners swearing by Epsom salt to revive their ailing florals.
Epsom salt offers more than just plant revival, as it boasts the additional benefit of repelling rats from your blooms without destroying the surrounding garden like ordinary salt would. Pest control experts at Pest Check claimed that “rats and mice aren’t natural fans of salt and can detect the scent quite easily”, and the salt can “create a protective boundary that can keep them away”.
Getting the mixture right is as simple as mixing one tablespoon of Epsom salt into the soil around two inches from the base of your roses.
Once you’ve provided your roses with this nutrient enhancement, water them thoroughly so the Epsom salt can work effectively in the soil where it matters.
Alternatively, consider dissolving two tablespoons of Epsom salt in a gallon of water and saturating the roots, but avoid the leaves as damp foliage can become a fungus hotspot at this time of year.
Treat your rose bushes to an Epsom salt treatment just twice yearly to prevent any possibility of disturbing your soil’s nutrients due to a magnesium excess.
Gardening expert Deb said, “The amounts of Epsom salt are intended for average to large-sized plants. If your roses are minis or small bushes, use just one-fourth to one-third of the measurements. If you are unsure, it is recommended to test your soil before amending it.”
Following Epsom salt application, your roses won’t merely survive – expect a “spectacular show of larger, superior blooms that’ll be the envy of your neighbours”.
