I don't have a clematis, although I have been wanting one for a long time, but will keep this tip in my files as I do sometimes seem to kill a lot of plants.

I use Epsom salts for many plants. It helps plants with the uptake of nutrients. The flowers will be bigger and deeper colour. The foliage will be greener too. All my roses get Epson salts a few times during the growing season. Tomatoes & Peppers have bigger fruit and more.

I don't have Clematis, but....

Will any Epsom salts be ok or does it have to be garden Epsom salts?

How much Epsom salts to how much water?

Does it need to sit overnight before using it?

How much do you pour on each plant?

How often (how many times) do you pour it over each plant?

Thanks bunches!

hat is the dilution?

I just put 1/4 cup around the plant and as it rains or watering, it seeps in. No special grade, just plain Epson salts. I usually buy it from Costco in the big jugs in there health & beauty area

Here's some great info. Check out the additional pages with recommendations for use.
http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.or...

Thanks Joannabanana!

Thanks, Joanna! You got here before I did! I just buy it in bags at Wal-Mart (it is in the pharmacy area). I typically put 1/4 c. in the bottom of a gallon watering can, add a few inches of very warm water, and stir to dissolve. Then I fill the can the rest of the way from my rain barrels, and use it to water my clematis, roses, and tomatoes! If I'm doing a lot of watering, I'll mix up a bigger batch of the dissolved Epsom salts Just guess-timating, but I probably dissolve a couple of cups of Epsom salts in a gallon pitcher of very warm water, and then add that concentrate to each watering can before filling it with rain water. I also give my tomatoes a handful of Epsom salts in the hole as I plant them.

Thanks Angie for your info also!

Do y'all do it once a season for your plants or do you do it more than once? I'm talking about outdoor plants/containers.

I generally do it in the spring, and again after flowering, for my clematis and roses. For the tomatoes, I add some at planting time, but rarely get around to adding more later. I think it would be really hard to overdo it.

Thanks Angie!

Sorry Angie, didn't mean to highjack your Tip of the Day. I don't have time to disolve, so I just put it around my plants and let Mother Nater take care of soaking in. I add it when I see that it has disappeared, so probalbly about every 3 weeks or so during the growing season

No, I'm glad you jumped in, Joanne! I didn't know my tip was going to be published yesterday, so didn't check in til late in the day!

Well, I am very glad that this tip popped up in the Random Ideas box today! I missed this the first time around, and it is so timely! And I know we have some epsom salt around here somewhere.