The Salt Fertilizer That Gives Lawns An End-Of-Season Boost (And How To Do It Right)

Fertilizing your lawn one last time before winter sets in may be a crucial October lawn care task you don't want to miss, and it turns out that Epsom salt could help your lawn make it through those colder months. Also known as hydrated magnesium sulfate, this salt gives your plants sulfur and magnesium. By providing more sulfur to your grass, you can help it to promote its growth and produce the enzymes and vitamins it needs to be healthy. The magnesium in the DIY fertilizer is probably the most important additive, as it can allow your plant to absorb even more nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

Cool-season grasses tend to have lots of active root growth during autumn, which is why you might fertilize your lawn in the fall for optimal results. Since the Epsom salt allows your grass to take in more important nutrients, this should help it to grow strong roots and better survive the winter. Additionally, Epsom salt may help to balance the pH of your yard. Before using this fertilizer, it's a good idea to test your soil. If it already contains good amounts of sulfur and magnesium, you might end up adding too much. When there is an overabundance of magnesium in the soil, your grass could experience salt injuries. Though Epsom salt can give some lawns a serious boost to growth that can help them last the winter, it's important to ensure your grass needs those specific nutrients first.

Once you've determined that your grass is in need of magnesium and sulfur, using Epsom salt as a fall fertilizer can help prepare your plants for the incoming cold weather; however, it's important not to forget that your lawn may need other nutrients as well if your soil is lacking them. To add epsom salt to your grass, combine 2 tablespoons of it per gallon of water. Use this homemade solution to give your lawn a good drink while your grass is still actively growing for the year. Otherwise, you might add some of the salt to a fertilizer spreader and disperse it across your yard.

It's crucial that your region hasn't gotten so cold yet that the grass is dormant, or else it won't absorb the fertilizer. You'll only need to fertilize with Epsom salt once during the fall season to help promote the growth of your grass and its roots. By making your lawn healthier and stronger during the fall, the plants will have strong roots and may be less susceptible to harm. Besides helping your plants to grow, the magnesium in Epsom salt will also make it greener due to increasing the making of chlorophyll in the grass. This is why some claim Epsom salt is the secret to the greenest lawn all summer long, and some fertilize with it in the spring as well. With this bathroom staple, you give your lawn one last boost before dormancy.