Organic Magnesium Amendments? What Are You Guys Using?

[JohnathanDoe]

Just curious?

I'm wondering what my options are?
I'm thinking that I'll use some Sul-Po-Mag, or Epsom Salts to the tune of 1/2c per cu ft of soil mix.
I know that dolomite and calcitic limes are both options, but in my case, I've added Ca in the form of dried, pulverized egg shell, and I don't want to add to much Ca, so I'm trying to avoid using either of those.

I'm also thinking about just going with an all purpose amendment like Espoma Tomato Tone. Hoping to have the decision set in stone by the end of this weekend!

Thanks for ANY input!

Also, anyone around currently using Epsom Salts as a Mg Source?
Or have used it before with success?
I was also thinking it might be possible to just water with Epsom Salt every 2-3wks, rather than even mixing it into my soil.

 

[stihgnobevoli]

garden lime.

 

[Granger2]

You can add Epsom to your mix, but as you said, you could water with it as needed rather than by the calendar. That's the best way, I think, cuz it's so soluble, a lot of it will be wasted in the runoff. But worse, you could burn your plants since so much of it will be made available in the first 2 or 3 waterings. Good luck. -granger

 

[who dat is]

I would think that with a well balanced mix like it sounds you're rockin' I wouldn't worry so much about having enough magnesium. It's not a macro element and you can always address that deficiency if it were to arise. Don't be losing sleep and just listen to what your plants are telling you they need.

 

[JohnathanDoe]

stihgnobevoli,

I'm alright with Ca so I don't want to use garden lime as I might over do it with Ca and cause issues with other nutrients, but thans for the input.


Granger2,

What do you use in the garden as a Mg source?

I was worried about the solubility of the Epsom salts as well, but was thinking that if I give the Epsom salts a couple weeks in some moist soil, the Mg would be adsorbed somewhat?

I'm also game for adding every couple weeks via watering. Just trying to see what my options are.

Thanks

 

[JohnathanDoe]

who dat is,

Mg isn't really a Macro, but it's considered one(N,P,K,Ca,Mg,S).
Wherever you see green there's Mg involved.

But my main Ca source is shell(egg) rather than a lime so I currently don't have a main source for Mg, which you'd usually get with your application of a lime.

I thought I would be able to squeak by without a specific Mg source, but after reading Teaming With Nutrients by Jeff Lowenfels I know that's not an option.

Every nutrient in our soil is limited by the amount of the least available nutrient - http://soils.wisc.edu/facstaff/barak/soilscience326/lawofmin.htm

I thought vermicompost, forest humus, and the occasion shot of molasses via and AACT would be enough for Mg, but it wasn't.
The plants need a specific Mg source it seems when not using a lime.

Thanks for your advice

 

[Coba]

have you tried kelp meal?

Azomite and Gaia Green glacial rock dust are two products that guarantee available magnesium in their analysis papers.

good vermicompost should be enough dependent on the inputs.

Question? are you sure it's a Mg deficiency and not a developing S deficiency?

 

[lost in a sea]

good ol black strap has a decent amount in, but i think people over do the magnesium paranoia,, it's mainly only SD and the odd chemdog/og cross i've really ever needed to top up with mg in soil and that is after i have seen the deficiency not dosed up all the time, any unnecessary ferting with magnesium is not great for taste, imo, so always wait to see a deficiency first would be my best advice..

organic aerobic tea with black strap molasses in, and other bits depending on your choice.. you will struggle to burn them with it and will make them happier in a multitude of other ways..

good vermicompost should be enough dependent on the inputs.

my thoughts exactly, all vermicomposts are not made equally

 

[Granger2]

I use MO for it's many benefits, but I use Earth Juice Microblast which has no Ca. Once in awhile I use Epsom. Good luck. -granger

 

[who dat is]

You could also try CaMg+ from General Organics but that might have more calcium in it than you are looking for.

http://generalhydroponics.com/site/gh/docs/prod_labels/CaMg.pdf

 

[Backyard Farmer]

KMag @ 2% total amendment volume

 

[EclipseFour20]

My $0.02...
One of the hidden secrets to "high brix" growing is to have adequate amounts (sometimes even "more than adequate") of calcium--in different forms. So when incorporating various aggregates/components in my custom grow mix I take that inconsideration...I am not fearful of calcium.

Dollar for dollar, the most affordable form of water soluble magnesium is Magnesium Sulfate (aka Epsom Salts) 9.87% Magnesium (paid $35 for 50lbs a year or 2 ago). I add 5ml per gallon to my "mineral brew". For powdered/dry form of Magnesium, I am with the Dolomite Lime camp 11.8% Magnesium (paid $8 for 50 lbs, that is cheap)!

So for me, it is Epsom salts for water applications of Magnesium--for soil conditioning I use a variety of inputs, including Dolomite Lime.

Cheers!

BTW...for immediate recovery of Mg deficiency, try upping the level to 15ml of Epsom Salts per gallon for a couple of waterings (want easy proof, pour some on a lawn brown spot and see what happens--secret ingredient for roses too!)

 

[Gelado`]

I water with epsom salts every week; I've been plagued with Mg deficiencies for about a year, despite my best efforts to keep levels high with organic amendments. My water is very soft and low in Ca and Mg. My plants are absolutely flourishing now that they have enough Mg. I've recently upped levels a little more because I'm growing with all LED through the summer.

 

[JohnathanDoe]

Coba,

I'm a little more than 2cups Algamin Kelp Meal in 2.75 cu ft of soil.
I don't have any Azomite on hand but I've used it before with good results. I didn't think it had anything to do with Mg though. I thought is was more for trace minerals, micros, and nonessential nutrients.
I need to add some rock dust however, as the only product I'm using for mineralization other than Kelp Meal is a product call Excelerite(http://us-rem.com/).

I've also used Gia Green previously and will mix some again again here in about 2 weeks, but I skipped it initially because I couldn't source any locally.
It Gia Green a legit Mg source? I've only used it before for mineralization.
I've only used it lightly to the tune of just a bit over a 1/2 cup per cu ft of soil mix..

And my vermicompost alone is an adequate enough supply of Mg it seems.

And I'm sure it's S rather than Mg, given the fact that the issues originated with the older leaves first, which isn't the case with S.

Thank you very much for your response!

 

[JohnathanDoe]

lost in a sea,

It's a very important element!
When there is a shortage of it, there is a shortage of ATP as well as chlorophyll production.
I thought that I could do without adding a specific Mg supplement, but it's not possible.

I too agree with you guys that not all vermicompost is created equal! Anything you do yourself at home is usually better

 

[JohnathanDoe]

Granger2,

Thanks. What's MO? And I doubt I'll use Earth Juice given the price and availability of Epsom, but thank you for your help.

Backyard Farmer,

Will the high percentage of K cause issue with the C and other cations you know?
Are you currently using KMag or have you used it before? And if so, what other amendments are you using it with?

EclipseFour20,

Awesome stuff man! Thank you!
I'm not too keen on it perks of the "high brix" style or gardening, but I've seen some impressive results and am aware that it's a C heavy routine.

But it's looking a lot like I'll either be watering with Epsom or mixing it in to the soil at about 1/2cup per cu ft. Not sure yet, but I'm leaning towards mixing some into the soil at a point.

And I would LOVE to add some Dolomite, but as I've mention already, I've got quite a bit of egg shell mixed is, and didn't notice any Ca problem with the test run.

I've got lots of organic matter in the soil tho, so maybe my CEC is high enough to adsorb the extra Ca and Mg? IDK?

Decision decisions...

Thanks again

 

[JohnathanDoe]

Gelado`,

What's your soil mix?
And what the recipe for your Epsom Salt water?

This is my first time having an issue with Mg as I'm trying a new mix.
I'm missing lime from my mix, as well as anything Mg specific and I noticed it about 2-3wks after starting my last batch of seeds.

 

[bigshrimp]

Dandelion is a Mg accumulator if it is present in the soil.

 

[JohnathanDoe]

bigshrimp,

I'm an indoor guy and the Dandelions in my area have already flowered, so IDK what to do about that...They're also lots of chemicals used around here being used I see, so it'd be ill advised to harvest any of it I'm sure. Maybe I need to find an organic farm in the area?

Thanks for your help.

What do you guys think about composting the Epsom Salt(or cycling it) so that it's adsorbed in the soil?

 

[lost in a sea]

yeah lol i know how it works it is one of the most important micro elements, i know this and have seen it, but alot of ganja lines grow 100% perfectly well without me needing to be topping them up with it specifically, showing no signs of deficiency and growing large and of high quality, but as you know it is about what you have as a medium to start with.

with the dandelions you would make a tea with the leaves. If they are growing on your property and you haven't sprayed em then you could use them and wouldn't need that many.

what is your thing about magnesium? you have had problems with your soil mix and think you need to add more yeah?

the signs are pretty obvious that the plant is lacking in mg but not as clear that you have over done it, until the grow is over and the quality is down on what it could have been. I believe they need almost no magnesium in the last couple weeks as well, and i only really ever see deficiencies when the plant is at full full flower and growing full speed in the mid weeks..

Earth juice is really good stuff BTW, definitely worth the money..

i think you could use epsom in the composting process, i never had but can't think of why not.

And remember with organic you feed the microbes and they feed your plant obviously, so get that right and they will free the magnesium and deliver it steadily anyway, brew up a nice molasses and dandelion tea for them..