[PaulF]

Epsom salts add magnesium and sulphate to the soil and can be very beneficial if your soil needs these minerals. It works best in acidic soils to help unlock nitrogen and phosphorus.

The main problem is using a chemical in soil not needing extra magnesium or sulphate, especially if they are tied together as in epsom salt. Soil that is in balance already may not need more of one mineral or another; it could be detrimental to add unnecessary elements. A good professional soil test is a cheap way to find out exactly is need or not needed for you particular garden.

Mine is already high in magnesium and phosphorus but low in sulphur, so by adding sulphur the soil becomes balanced and nitrogen is released for plant growth. If I were to add epsom salts that would upset the balance I have worked for so nearly twenty years. (I do add nitrogen every year since my soil test calls for additional N).

Another way to add magnesium is a foliar spray of epsom salts in liquid form directly to the pepper plants every so often. That probably will not affect the soil balance and if the plants need magnesium there could be a good result. I may give this a test on a few of my pepper plants this year. Adding epsom in the hole may not change anything except for each plant either. Worth a try; there is always next year...we hope.