Forgotten issue

In using insecticidal soap, there has been one issue I forgot about completely. Sodium.

Soap has lots of salt in it. Add the fact that desert soil is typically high in sodium and it causes problems. High soil sodium causes stunted growth, low yield and plant death (worse with high temperatures).

Considering the flat lay of my land, sodium can't be washed away. Another problem is that sodium can sink deep in the soil. Meaning when I turned the soil deeply, I brought more of it up. Yet heavy watering will bring more to the surface. This may be the problem with the north garden.

So, I read that the best way to counteract the effects of sodium is adding magnesium and calcium. Which is another issue, because desert soil is commonly low in calcium. I also heard less officially that Phos helps counter it.

So, this afternoon, I added some Epsom salt (mag sulfate) and the last of my calcium supplement to the garden sprayer, along with the soap. See how that works. Though I guess I'll be investing in more Epsom salt soon.