Question
I start my own flower seeds every year for my zone 4 Iowa flower garden.  My geraniums always do well but the leave turn a bright purpleish red every year before I plant them outside.  I have read that it might be a shortage of magnesium and that epson salt might help.  The leave don't really hurt the plant but they don't look great for a while after planting outside.p

Answer
Paula, Epsom salts do wonders. I use it on my roses and geraniums. And you are correct, it supplements the magnesium in the soil.

One other great application for Epsom salts is on tomatoes. The first harvest of many tomatoes result in blossom-end rot. This is the condition that produces a black, mushy spot on the underside of tomatoes. By adding one teaspoon of Epsom salts to the planting hole prior to transplanting, this condition can be prevented. I also spray it during the first few months of growing to help produce larger tomatoes.

Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike