I just found this little paragraph stating that snails, slugs, thrips, spider mites and aphids on daylilies could easily be controlled with Epsom salts. It says to dissolve two desert spoons (4 tsps.) in hot water then mix in a bucket of cold water? https://www.decadentdaylilies....
Just how big a bucket would that be? Well, believe it or not a bucket is actually a measurement of volume, 5 gal. I never knew that.
The thing I am getting at is I just spent $65.00 for a quart of generic Avid, to control leafminer and spider mites and other plant eating pests. Has anyone tried the Epsom salts as a control for these pests?

From Garden Myths:

"Does Epsom Salt Control Pests
Current research has found no evidence that it controls pests. It does not kill insects or grubs, nor does it repel slugs and rabbits. It is completely useless for pest control"

https://www.gardenmyths.com/ep...

sooby,
Thanks so much for that info, I was encouraged not to use chemicals but to use more eco friendly solutions, but it appears those fail to work most of the time. Disappointed not to be able to use a safer product, but now at least I don't feel I threw away $65.00 on the generic Avid. I just hate to have bug bites, and white streaks zigging and zagging all over the foliage, maybe someone will one day find a safer solution. I really am not looking forward to spraying with strong chemicals.

Not sure about other pests, but wouldnt undiluted Epsom salt sprinkled around plants help some for slugs and snails? I think it is supposed to dehydrate the slugs and snails.

I try not to use chemicals too except in extreme cases like when the Japanese beetles get on the few roses that I have. I do have a few daylilies that get thrips, but it seems to be cultivar specific. Maybe it is my imagination.

"There is no literature that reports activity of Epsom salts against slugs or voles, and the sole published report on potential rabbit repellency was negative. No science can be found to substantiate claims of control on any pest species".

From:
https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/...

"Insect and Slug Repellent - There is no evidence that Epsom salts can repel harmful insects or mollusks. That one seems to really be only a garden myth"

From:
https://laidbackgardener.blog/...

I've seen it suggested that sprinkling Epsom salts around a plant would cause slugs to get scratched by the crystals, but the method Larry found suggests dissolving it (considerably diluted) in water so that's not likely to be very scratchy

Epsom salts dissolve very quickly and readily as soon as they are watered. So sprinkling them around your plants really won't "scratch" any insects. However, I use epsom salts as part of my fertilizer rotation for many of my plants, including my first batch of potted daylily seedlings. Epsom salts are Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4). Both the Magnesium and sulfur are essential plant nutrients. I'll apply this monthly to container grown plants, use it on peppers and tomatoes several times a season to help prevent blossom end rot (calcium deficiency) and on any plants exhibiting magnesium deficiency (interveinal chlorosis on older leaves). the Mg helps with Nitrogen uptake and movement as well. If you are on a limestone derived soil, there's probably no need to use epsom salts. Limestone is largely calcium and magnesium.

One thing I found, Jim, was that Epsom salts on tomatoes in containers actually contributed to blossom end rot here. A bit of research afterwards suggested that it's no longer recommended for exactly that reason.

Vicky, have you ever tried Milky Spore powder to control Japanese Beetles? I tried it reluctantly and skeptically one time, as I was desperate with their destroying roses, raspberries, rose of sharon and many other plants. It was almost inconceivable how well the Milky Spores worked within two years. Even my neighbors noticed the reduction. I may reapply this spring as I'm due for a booster, and to see if it can also reduce the 17 year cicadas we are expecting.

Milky spore won't work for cicadas, it is specific to Japanese beetles and doesn't even work for other white grubs in lawns.

That's too bad. Thanks for letting me know, though, so I don't get my hopes up.

Sulfur pellets sprinkled around your plants are supposed to repel many critters (sulfur does stink - but does not seem to work on insects only mites and chiggers, and mice or squirrels), and also help to acidify soil over time.
Bio slug pellets use sulfur as the active killing ingredient:
https://orcalinc.com/products/...
And thankfully, the pellets are pet-safe.
This is the version I use:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N6X8OWE/
I find many empty snail shells after using it. And my hostas have thanked me.

Oh, I forgot to say, people use copper to get rid of slugs and snails. Copper tape as a defensive perimeter works wonders.
That said, copper-sulfate is used to kill the roots of trees so I would be a bit careful using copper.

Thanks for the advice on milky spore for Japanese beetles, Tim. I will have to look for that.