Market Farming

["Shoemaker, William H" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>]

Many melons are grown in sand, which may be low in Mg. Mg plays a role in photosynthesis, so may influence the production of sugars. Soil tests usually tell you if Mg is low or adequate. If adequate, Epsom salts might help, might not. I see it as optional unless you are truly low in Mg. If you make plenty of compost and use it in your melon plots, you probably have enough Mg. Using Epsom salts shouldn't hurt anything. If your soils has a dolomite lime bedrock base, you probably have high levels of Mg.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

Retired fruit and vegetable horticulturist

University of Illinois

wshoemak AT illinois.edu

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From: Market-farming [market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] on behalf of GarlicGrower [garlicgrower AT green-logic.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2015 7:25 AM
To: 'Market Farming'
Subject: [Market-farming] Espom salts on melons?

Hi, Folks!

Since everyone seems to want to talk about something, I thought I’d toss a question out here.

 

Saw in Nolte’s Produce Supply catalog the notation that “spray your melons with Epsom salts to make them sweeter.”

 

Never done this – I’ve added Epsom salts to the planting hole for peppers and tomatoes and seen a real improvement in fruiting, but hadn’t heard about this for melons.

 

Do people do this?  In the planting hole and/or foliar feeding when the melons are about ripe?

 

Discuss and thanks for your input!

Dorene

 

 

Dorene Pasekoff

Hill Creek Farm

75 Creamery Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

 

610-506-3372

http://www.hillcreekfarmpa.com/