March 5, 2009

Save a soak for yourself

Lots of us know that a drench of Epsom salts (a quarter cup to 2 gallons of water) does wonders for our plants. But why does a soak in Epsom salts make us feel good? Specially after a long day of digging in the dirt?

Epsom salt is not salt, but crystallized magnesium sulfate. According to the Epsom Salt Industry Council, we are lacking this mineral in our diet. And if we take calcium supplements, we deplete our bodies further.

While magnesium sulfate is difficult to digest, The School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham says it is readily absorbed through the skin. A 15-minute soak in Epsom salts provides this mineral our bodies need. Not to worry: People have been soaking in Epsom salts since Shakespeare’s day in Epsom, England.

Something to do Saturday

South African Winter Bulb Sale - UC Irvine Arboretum
Cactus and Succulent Sale - Palos Verdes
Antioxidants From Your Garden - Riverside
Fullerton College Tomato Sale

Weekend Web Browsing

Landscape designer, blogger and photographer at Garden Porn posts about maintaining your green during tough economic times. OK, so the post is mostly about her really luscious photography.

Garden writer Joe Lamp’l blogs at Compost Confidential about the 5 biggest mistakes we make in our gardens.