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Is Epsom Salt Good For Palm Trees? Let’s Find Out!

When used correctly, Epsom salt can be beneficial for palm trees. Epsom salt for palm trees can help treat and prevent magnesium deficiency. However, using only Epsom salt is not enough. Palm trees need other nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium they get from commercial fertilizers.

Are the leaves of your precious palm trees slowly turning yellow? Have you tried every fertilizer, but none helped? 

Yeah … I know. It is quite heartbreaking seeing your palms lose their charm. But don’t lose hope yet!

Some gardeners are using Epsom salt to fix this problem! But is Epsom salt good for palm trees? 

I completely understand your concern. The last thing you want is to further damage your palm trees.

I am here to help you get the answers you need. So, keep on reading. You’ll find the best solutions in the sections to come! 

Epsom Salt For Palm Trees: Yes or No?  

We all would like to have a palm tree from a holiday brochure in our backyard. But the reality is quite different. Palm trees are living organisms that need special care. They require an adequate amount of nutrients to thrive, just as we humans do. 

Since most palm trees don’t grow in rich soil, we have to regularly fertilize them to keep them healthy. Using Epsom salt is one way to ensure your palm trees are getting enough magnesium

What Is Epsom Salt?

Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. It is a mineral compound made of magnesium and sulfur. It has many benefits and uses in medicine and agriculture

It can be used to treat constipation, muscle aches, and magnesium deficiency in humans and plants. Plants like tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, roses, and palm trees can especially benefit from Epsom salt. 

Epsom salt is odorless, and it doesn’t significantly change the pH of the soil, which is a big plus. It is overall a great supplement for magnesium-hungry plants. 

When Is Epsom Salt Good For Palm Trees?

A palm tree with yellowish leaves
Image credit: hort.ufl.edu

Epsom salt is good for palm trees when they are deficient in magnesium.  

Magnesium plays an important role in the production of chlorophyll, which is what is responsible for the natural green pigment in plants. In other words, magnesium helps give your palm trees that beautiful green color. 

If the leaves of your palm trees are slowly turning yellow, you may need to enrich the soil with magnesium by using Epsom salt. Think about it as giving your palm trees a magnesium supplement that will stop further damage. 

How To Use Epsom Salt For Outdoor Palm Trees?

Spread 2 to 4 pounds of Epsom salt uniformly over the root zone per palm tree, depending on its size. 

There are no specific guidelines, but 2 pounds of salt should suffice for a tree that’s close to 10 feet tall, and the maximum amount is plenty for an older, 24-foot palm. 

After you’ve distributed the salt, soak the treated area with plenty of water to ensure the Epsom salt gets dissolved and absorbed easily

I recommend you repeat this process four times a year during the growing season to stop the discoloration of the leaves. 

If you have lots of palm trees that need supplementation, it is best to buy Epsom salt in bulk.  

You can watch this YouTube video to see how to correctly fertilize your palm trees:

YouTube player

How To Use Epsom Salt For Indoor Palm Trees?

Outdoor palm trees primarily grow in zones 10 to 12. But just because you live in a colder climate doesn’t mean you should miss out on the joy of having your own palm tree. I’ve dedicated a whole blog post to palm trees that are suited for zone 7. 

USDA Zone Map with Average Minimum Temperature
Image credit: seattleseed.com

On the bright side, you can always grow a palm tree indoors

Indoor palm trees can greatly benefit from Epsom salt, as well. 

If your parlor palm has dried or burnt leaves, you should give it a detox. Excessive fertilizing can lead to salt buildup in the potting soil, which causes root damage and those unsightly leaves. 

You can easily purify the soil with an Epsom salt rinse. Mix 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt with 1 gallon of water. 

Place your plant pot in a bathtub or a sink and slowly water it with the solution. Stop when you see it coming out of the drainage holes. Wait until the solution drains completely. 

Repeat the process 3 to 4 times before putting the palm tree back where it belongs. 

Is Epsom Salt Enough?

Using only Epsom salt on your palm trees is not enough. Palm trees require a wide range of nutrients, not only magnesium. By only using Epsom salt, you will deprive your palms of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, iron, and more.

The best thing to do is to use a slow-release palm fertilizer, like Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed, as well as Epsom salt. 

Alternate the two every six weeks throughout the growing season. 

This way, you will ensure your palms are getting all the vital nutrients they need to stay healthy and pretty. 

If your palm trees are affected by potassium deficiency, you can use Alpha Chemicals potassium sulfate with Epsom salt. Use both supplements at the same time. 

Lack of potassium can be detected by the browning of leaf tips. 

Other Uses For Epsom Salt In The Garden

You can extend the use of Epsom salt beyond your palm trees. A dose of magnesium will greatly benefit your other plants, as well.  

This practical YouTube video will give you ideas on how to use Epsom salt around your lawn and garden. Check it out!

YouTube player

Keep It Green and Beautiful 

So, is Epsom salt good for palm trees?

Yes! When used in the right amounts, Epsom salt can be very beneficial for your palms. You can use it to treat or prevent magnesium deficiency.  

Magnesium sulfate will help keep your soil rich and your palm trees looking green and beautiful. You only have to treat them four times a year during the growing season to maintain their health. 

Here is how you do it:

  1. Buy quality Epsom salt for palm trees.
  2. Evenly distribute 2 to 4 pounds of Epsom salt over the root zone.
  3. Thoroughly water the root zone to ensure better absorption.

Do you have any more questions about this topic? Let me know in the comments below and also feel free to share your tips on how to grow healthy palm trees. 

Is Epsom salt good for palm trees?

About The Author

  • Nadya Jones

    Nadya's the creative mind behind this blog, sharing her passion for landscaping, gardening and making spaces that nourish the soul. An entrepreneur and writer based in Raleigh, NC, Nadya turns imaginative ideas into inspiration, fueling home and garden dreams. Though Nadya crafts gorgeous posts and photos showcasing lush yards or blooming gardens, the real magic happens behind the scenes where Nadya's partner Brett provides endless support, implementing each vision with care and dedication. Brett's the one ensuring her creative concepts come to life. At heart, Nadya remains an imaginative soul, forever dreaming of whimsical details, vibrant hues and lush landscapes. Each manicured edge or blossoming bloom fuels inspiration, expanding her vision of what's possible in design and life. She shares her love for landscaping, gardening, and outdoor design in her blog, the one you are visiting right now. If you are interested in the same things, be sure to check it out! Also, follow Nadya on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Flickr!

Photo of author

About The Author

Nadya Jones

Nadya's the creative mind behind this blog, sharing her passion for landscaping, gardening and making spaces that nourish the soul. An entrepreneur and writer based in Raleigh, NC, Nadya turns imaginative ideas into inspiration, fueling home and garden dreams. Though Nadya crafts gorgeous posts and photos showcasing lush yards or blooming gardens, the real magic happens behind the scenes where Nadya's partner Brett provides endless support, implementing each vision with care and dedication. Brett's the one ensuring her creative concepts come to life. At heart, Nadya remains an imaginative soul, forever dreaming of whimsical details, vibrant hues and lush landscapes. Each manicured edge or blossoming bloom fuels inspiration, expanding her vision of what's possible in design and life. She shares her love for landscaping, gardening, and outdoor design in her blog, the one you are visiting right now. If you are interested in the same things, be sure to check it out! Also, follow Nadya on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Flickr!

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