Growing your own epsom salts

pineapple

I have just seen a couple of articles on the net about growing your own crystals. Has anyone ever done this and what methods did you use?

Gigervamp

I did it as a child. If I remember correctly, I made a saturated solution of the salts in a jam jar and dangled a piece of thread that was tied to a pencil which was placed across the top of the jar, into the solution.

I think you could get coloured crystals by adding some food colouring to the mix.

Gingernutty

pineapple wrote: »

I have just seen a couple of articles on the net about growing your own crystals. Has anyone ever done this and what methods did you use?

It's a way of growing giant crystals, not being able to make your own Epsom salts.

Heat up some water, then start adding Epsom salts. Keep dissolving the salts (maybe heating the water up further) until you can dissolve no more (don't just keep adding water, btw, you want a concetrated solution).

Then take the largest crystal you can find and tie a cotton thread around it.

Dangling the crystal in the solution, tie the other end of the thread to a wire or a pencil and then leave.

The dangling crystal, acting as a focal point will grow as the dissolved salt gradually comes out of solution.

pineapple

Thanks gingernutty.
I use epsom salts in the bath and in the garden!
I thought I had found a method of 'growing' existing stock.
Like when you make more yoghurt from leftover yoghurt.
Sigh,,,,,