Will Epsom Salts Attract Deer? I Want To Put On Asparagus Bed But Not If Deer Will Eat It Like They Do Salt.

Question

When I put table salts on the bed of asparagus to kill the weeks they white tail deer rooted up the bed and made a mess. I think the Epsom Salts would help the asparagus plants.

Answer 1

I would not advise using table salt. It tends to make the soil toxic to plants. Yes, it does kill weeds, but it can also make soil toxic to your asparagus, using too much.

Now, on to the other issue at hand- Deer won't really be attracted to Epsom salts, which is magnesium sulfate. But before adding, make sure that the soil does not already contain the proper amounts of sulfur and magnesium. Adding too much of these can cause more issues, although it is not very common.

It will be a good idea to test your soil for deficiencies and pH imbalances. Once you find out the state of your soil, you can begin to correct the issues with it. Trying to correct deficiencies, blindly, will often lead to worsening of the condition of the soil.

Here are some articles that will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-ph-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/epsom-salt-gardening.htm