The Usage of Epsom Salt & Ammonia in Tomato Gardening

Overview

Tomatoes are among the most rewarding vegetables for a home gardener to grow. They taste infinitely better than their grocery store counterparts and require only a little help from you. To boost their growth, flowering and fruit production, try a couple of inexpensive home remedies--Epsom salt and ammonia. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium is a nutrient needed for adequate plant growth. It is quickly depleted and often almost absent in Western United States gardens. Ammonia, according to the International Ag Labs, is a natural fertilizer that aids flowering and tomato setting.

Epsom Salt on Tomato Plants

Step 1

Apply 1/2 cup Epsom salt to the soil when the tomato plant begins to bloom. Hoe it in lightly and water for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Apply 1 tbsp. Epsom salt per foot of plant height to the soil, wet or dry. Repeat every two weeks during the growing season.

Step 3

Mix 1 tsp. Epsom salt in a spray bottle with clean water. Spray on leaves to discourage tomato-loving insects.

Ammonia on Tomato Plants

Step 1

Mix 2 cups vinegar, 1 cup ammonia and 5 gallons of water in a bucket.

Step 2

Sprinkle lightly over plants when they begin to flower and set fruit.

Step 3

Repeat the above process every two weeks for six weeks.