Magnesium Sulfate vs. Potassium Sulfate for Terpene enhancement

[Thegreywizard]

Ok so I wanted to figure out which was a better choice for Terpene enhancements: Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) or Potassium Sulfate

Everyone knows epsom salt works and is tried and true.

But Potassium Sulfate is used in Terpinator and seems to be an effective product.

So which one is a better form of Sulfate to enhance terpenes and why?

I use Jacks 321 which has MagSul/Epsom Salt as part of the 321, so I have that covered and need to include it in my recipe.

But I was wondering if Potassium Sulfate was better/stronger and can be added to my recipe alongside the Epsom Salt.

Thanks!

 

[Homesteader]

There is no better form. The sulfate has a weak bond to both potassium or magnesium. Personally I am more of a fan of calcium sulfate in soil. The sulfate is the important factor although I am not sure how any products work.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Potassium is most prominently used mid flower through the plant's finishing ... which is why many people use a potassium sulfate based mixed for essential oil production. However, magnesium sulfate will provide the sulfates that is used in the metabolic pathways that drive terp production. Both magnesium and Potassium are required for healthy plants. Epsom salts are cheap and most nutrient lines pack plenty of K in their mix. I've used both, depending on what the plant needs are and its stage of growth.

What does all that mean? Both can be used as a sweetener and I'm not sure one is significantly better than the other.

 

[Peat_Phreak]

If you are using Jacks321, you already have more K than you need and an adequate amount of Mg. Adding potash or epsom could negatively affect the grow.

However, you could use Ammonium Sulfate which adds some N that you have room for and more S that you want. You could also use sulfuric acid as pH down which only adds S.

 

[Peat_Phreak]

Try some Chitosan for terpene enhancement. It doesn't mess with NPK or Cal/Mag at all.

 

[Shaded_One]

There is no better form. The sulfate has a weak bond to both potassium or magnesium. Personally I am more of a fan of calcium sulfate in soil. The sulfate is the important factor although I am not sure how any products work.

I too have found the best success with Calcium & Magnesium Sulfate (Gypsum & Epsom)

+1

@Thegreywizard from one wizard to another I appreciate your username ;)

 

[Peat_Phreak]

Gypsum is good too. More Ca is usually not a problem.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

LOL, I have all of them in my tool kit (except ammonium sulfate.) Gypsum, Epsom Salts, potassium sulfate sweetners .... they all do the job well. They have little effect on soil pH and do what they are supposed to. I wouldn't say any of them are significantly better. The best one to use would be based on plant needs. They all have their place.

As for cost? Epsom Salts are hard to beat. (no scented epsom salts though)

 

[PipeCarver]

LOL, I have all of them in my tool kit (except ammonium sulfate.) Gypsum, Epsom Salts, potassium sulfate sweetners .... they all do the job well. They have little effect on soil pH and do what they are supposed to. I wouldn't say any of them are significantly better. The best one to use would be based on plant needs. They all have their place.

As for cost? Epsom Salts are hard to beat. (no scented epsom salts though)

"(no scented epsom salts though) " what?.........You're not a fan of Lavender tasting weed? ....you're weird ...lol

 

[Thegreywizard]

Ok lots of great answers, thank you everyone! This forum has some top-level people on here. I love splitting hairs and getting down to brass tacks! lol

So since I'm doing DWC & I use Jacks 321, and will continue to do so, I'll just stick with the epsom salt that I'm using as part of the 321 recipe then. I went slightly over for their recommendation's for mag/sul last time, and even though it was my first run using it, the terpes turned out great! The strawberry lemonade I ran literally smelled like berries & cat piss lol

I really loved running Jacks in DWC and looking forward to dialing everything in on the next run.

@Shaded_One Wizards Unite! lol

 

[PotsieSativa]

Potassium sulfate or magnesium sulfate?

Why not both?

Ok lots of great answers, thank you everyone! This forum has some top-level people on here. I love splitting hairs and getting down to brass tacks! lol

@Shaded_One

PS

Thiosulfate is metabolized in plants by a different pathway from that used for sulfate metabolism. Thiosulfate increases plant sulfide and cysteine persulfide levels which means that plants are in a more reduced state with thiosulfate than with sulfate.

^ Top tier info.

 

[Thegreywizard]

I love Down To Earth nutrients! I didn't realize their Langbeinite was loaded up with sulphates like that!

That is also really interesting about the Thiosulfate. Is it worth running on top of the Jack's 321 w/ epsom salt I'm already using?

Would I lock out Calcium by using it along with the 321 and having too much in my RDWC?

 

[Bluebuddha]

This got me thinking. I wonder how or if Methylsulfonylmethane would benefit plants. I can't find anything on interwebz about it except a patent. I have some and may try it on a test subject.

CN1934921A - Agriculture product planting method using msm and crop planting using composition having msm as major component - Google Patents

The present invention relates to an agriculture product planting method using MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane). Crop seeds are immersed in a diluted MSN solution with the concentration of 0.5-5.0 MSM in 1 L water for 8 hours; firstly, MSM is sprayed on the soil for crop planting by 5-100g/100...

patents.google.com

 

[Titleist]

I guess one question I would have with all of this is, have you grown this strain before and are confident that you aren't pushing the plant to it's full genetic potential in your current nute/light regimen?

I'm not a scientist in any way, but I'm of the opinion that if you're giving the plant what it needs already, pushing additional nutrients on it will not make it produce more than it's genetics would allow. You'd just leave the extra nutrient sitting in your soil above what the plant wants to metabolize and can possibly inhibit other factors effecting the grow.

As for the Thiosulfate, I believe the main difference between it and something like ammonium sulfate is AS should have more bio-availability to the plant whereas Thiosulfate requires bacterial action to provide the benefit, so that'd be something more of a longer term regimen. Plus the stuff listed above obviously contains calcium, something not as necessary during flower. I personally cut off calcium at the start of flower most of the time depending on how much was needed during veg. I also don't use AS for the sulfur as the nitrogen isn't so necessary during flower. The choice may be between excess nitrogen during flower or excess calcium. Certainly don't want to lock out other nutes due to calc toxicity.

While I prefer the simple to the complicated, when I need to make adjustments quickly either starting or stopping I prefer inorganics as they tend to offer me more immediate control of an issue. In the end, it's still sulfur you're looking for.