Magnesium is often used as a turf fertilizer. Common options include Kieserite fertilizer, Magnesium sulphate fertilizer and Magnesium oxide to manage Magnesium deficiency in plants. But which of these is the best option to address any magnesium deficiency? How do you know what is the best magnesium fertilizer to use in specific soil conditions?The form of Mg fertilizer has a big effect on the results you get in a turfgrass fertilizer strategy. For example, in soluble forms the tank compatibility of these varies dramatically.
About Gilba Solutions
Gilba Solutions Pty Ltd are Sydney based independent sports turf consultants and turfgrass agronomists. We operate in Sydney, NSW, and the ACT.
Jerry Spencer has written over 100 articles & a book on turf nutrition. These are on topics ranging from turf fertilisers & aquatic weed management to using turf pigments & why turf herbicides sometimes don’t work. He also publishes a turf blog.
https://gilbasolutions.com/
Soil Characteristics
High Soil pH or
Excessive liming
Non Calcareous Soils
High Organic
Content Soils
Low CEC sand
rootzones
Effects
Induced Mg
deficiency & Ca-Mg
antagonism
Mg Deficiency
due to low Mg
content
Low pH soils Mg
deficiency due to
Al-Mg antagonism
Kieserite
Identifying and Managing Magnesium Deficiency in Turf
No Lime
required
No Lime
required
No Lime
required
Lime
required
Lime
required
Lime
required
Kieserite/
Dolomite
Kieserite/
Dolomite
Kieserite/
Dolomite
Kieserite
Fertiliser
Kieserite
or Epsom
salts
Analysis
Variables
MgSO4
MgSO4
MgSO4
MgSO4
MgCO3
MgCO3
MgCO3
Low Mg
Excess K
High N as urea or ammonium
High Rainfall and Leaching
Low temperature
Soil compaction
Gilba Solutions Pty Ltd
Mobile 0499975819
Website: https://gilbasolutions.com
Effect of Temperature on Ryegrass Mg
absorption
1
Nutrient solution mg
15
0Tissue Mg %0.5
Characteristics of Common Mg Fertilisers
Dolomite
Granomag
Kieserite
Epsom Salts
Mg nitrate
Fertiliser
% Mg
Other
12
54
16
10
11
Solubility in
water mg/L
14-32% Ca
1% Ca
22% S
13% S
5% N
3.7
67890
9.8
104200
238030
Affect on pH
Increase
None
None
None
None
Salt Index
0.8
1.7
39
44
55
High Temp
Low Temp