By Jennifer Poindexter
Are you someone who wants to ensure that your body is getting all the right vitamins and minerals? One important mineral we all need is magnesium.
If you want to eat your vitamins and minerals instead of taking supplements, then you should consider growing your garden with a purpose.
This means, do you research, speak with your doctor, and find out what your diet may be lacking. Then add plants which are high in these ingredients to your growing space.
If you’re interested in adding more magnesium to your diet and garden, here’s a list of plants higher in magnesium:
What You’ll Learn
- The vital role magnesium plays in maintaining various bodily functions
- Why you should consider growing your garden with plants rich in magnesium
- The top 15 plants that are high in magnesium content and suitable for home gardening
- Tips and best practices for growing each of these magnesium-rich plants in different climates and soil types
The Importance of Magnesium in the Human Body
You may see magnesium supplements around your stores but aren’t sure of this mineral’s purpose in your body.
Magnesium is thought to help with keeping a steady heartbeat, support strong bones, and also serves as a boost to your immune system.
It’s thought to support both your muscles and nerves, along with helping keep steady glucose levels in your blood.
As you can see, this mineral serves to aid in a variety of important functions within your body. Now, let’s discuss your options for adding plants known for being higher in magnesium to your growing space.
Plants Higher in Magnesium
As you can see, magnesium is an important mineral for our bodies. Here are the plants you can add to your garden to boost the amount of magnesium in your diet:
1. Dill
Dill is a wonderful plant to grow around your home. It does best when directly sown into your growing space as it has a long taproot which doesn’t like being disturbed.
This plant is useful in a variety of recipes and is especially great to have on-hand if you enjoy making homemade pickles.
Dill remains hardy in planting zones two through eleven and enjoys a growing space which provides well-draining soil, full sunlight, and temperatures ranging from 60- to 75-degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a beautiful leafy green that grows well in a traditional garden setting, in containers, and even in cold frames.
This plant grows as a biennial in planting zones six through ten and can be grown as an annual in planting zones five and lower.
Swiss chard enjoys a growing space with ample sunlight and soil that’s well-draining and nutritious. This is a cool-weather crop, so it prefers temperatures between 32- to 75-degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Kale
Kale is another leafy green. It’s sturdy and is useful in keeping you satiated. Many times people chop it up and mix it with other types of lettuce to make a salad go a little further in your day.
Expect this plant to remain winter hardy in planting zones seven through ten. It also prefers a growing space with plenty of sunlight and soil that drains adequately.
When growing kale, it does well in containers, raised beds, or traditional garden plots. This could also be a good candidate for your cold frames.
4. Acorn Squash
I love growing different varieties of squash. They provide fun shapes and colors in your garden. They also share slightly different flavor profiles and uses in the kitchen.
The acorn squash grows well in planting zones three through ten. This plant prefers growing temperatures between 70- and 90-degrees Fahrenheit.
Its growing location should also supply full sunlight and soil that drains well. This is a vining plant, so take this into consideration when designing your garden layout.
5. Coriander
Coriander is a delicious seed that may be used in a variety of recipes. What you may not know is that coriander is the seed of cilantro plants.
I love this plant because you get two products for the price of one. You may enjoy cilantro while fresh and then let it go to seed to enjoy the spice.
This herb is an annual in planting zones two through eleven. It prefers soil that’s sandy, well-draining, and remains evenly damp. It also needs full to partial sunlight.
6. Basil
Basil is another beautiful green herb. It has a wonderful fragrance and taste. It’s used in various ways around the kitchen and makes a gorgeous plant for aesthetic purposes as well.
If you’re interested in growing basil, be sure to supply a growing location with both full sunlight and higher temperatures. This plant thrives in heat.
It’s also an annual in most growing locations but can be winter hardy in planting zones ten and eleven.
7. Green Peas
Green peas are another vining plant that tastes delicious. You may grow green peas in containers, raised beds, or traditional garden plots.
Do plan on trellising green peas to ensure the plants remain healthy and easier to harvest. When growing this plant, be sure to provide a growing space with full sunlight and soil that’s both nutritious and well-draining.
It’s important that the soil holds necessary moisture while allowing excess to drain away quickly. Green peas grow best in spring and fall. They may also be grown in planting zones two through eleven.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli is a delicious vegetable which is prepared in a variety of ways. If you enjoy eating broccoli, consider adding it to your garden space.
This vegetable is an annual crop that does well during the cooler portions of the year in planting zones two through eleven.
Broccoli prefers temperatures ranging from 40- to 70-degrees Fahrenheit. It also needs at least six hours of direct sunlight each day and well-draining soil.
9. Savory
Savory is the herb where the word “savory” came from. There’s both a winter and summer variety, and you may use this herb in soups, with meat, and casseroles.
Winter savory is a perennial plant in zones five through eleven. Summer savory grows as an annual in all planting zones.
Be sure to supply this herb with soil that drains adequately and full sunlight.
10. Spinach
Spinach was the first crop I ever grew. In my planting zone, I can grow it in a cold frame over winter which is nice because then I can have fresh greens year-round.
If you’d like to add spinach to your growing space, be sure to grow it when the temperatures are between 40- and 75-degrees Fahrenheit.
Spinach does well in planting zones two through nine. It also needs a growing space which contains soil that’s both highly nutritious and well-draining. Spinach also needs full sunlight.
11. Chives
Chives are a gorgeous herb to keep around your home. I enjoy its aesthetics as much as I do the flavor it provides.
Expect this herb to remain hardy in planting zones three through ten. If you live in a cooler planting zone, be sure to grow your chives in a container, so you can move them indoors over the winter months.
You should provide a growing location with ample sunlight and well-draining soil that’s high in nutrients.
12. Mint
Mint is a wonderful herb to have on-hand but should be grown with caution as it can become invasive. It’s recommended to grow this plant in a container to control the spread.
Should you choose to grow mint, be sure to provide a growing location which contains full to partial sunlight and well-draining soil.
Keep in mind, mint can remain hardy in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Expect this plant to remain hardy in zones three through eight.
13. Okra
Okra is a fun plant to grow. It’s taller and reaches heights between six and ten feet. For this reason, it’s traditionally grown in an inground garden plot.
Should you decide to add this plant to your garden, be sure to supply a space with at least six hours of direct sunlight.
Plus, the plant thrives in soil that’s full of nutrients and drains adequately. Expect okra to do well in planting zones two through eleven.
14. Potatoes
Potatoes are an easier plant to grow. You may plant potatoes in a raised bed, traditional garden plot, or in various types of containers.
There are also different types of potatoes which come in different sizes, provide different textures, and they come in a range of colors. I’m a big fan of eating different colors in my diet as this provides a mixture of vitamins and minerals.
When growing potatoes, expect them to do well in planting zones three through ten. The big ticket items with potatoes are to ensure they grow where the soil is well aerated, ensure it drains adequately, and also ensure the plants receive ample sunlight.
15. Sage
Sage is one of my favorite herbs to grow. I love the textured look and colors it brings to my herb garden. I also love how forgiving it is.
I’ve moved my sage all around my yard to find the right location. Each time it’s transplanted, it continues to grow and thrive.
As long as you provide sage a warm growing location with plenty of sunlight and also provide soil that won’t allow the plant to become oversaturated, it should do well for you. This plant remains hardy in planting zones four through ten.
Magnesium doesn’t have to come from a pill off a shelf in a store. It also doesn’t have to be difficult to consume more of it.
If you’re growing your garden based upon vitamins and minerals your body needs, consider adding one of these fifteen options for plants which are natural sources of magnesium.
Key Takeaways
- Magnesium’s Role in the Body:
- Supports a steady heartbeat and strong bones
- Boosts the immune system
- Helps in maintaining steady blood glucose levels
- Magnesium-Rich Plants:
- Herbs: Dill, Coriander, Basil, Chives, Mint, Sage, and Savory
- Leafy Greens: Swiss Chard, Kale, and Spinach
- Vegetables: Acorn Squash, Green Peas, Broccoli, and Okra
- Others: Potatoes
- Growing Tips:
- Soil: Preference for well-draining and nutritious soil
- Sunlight: Most plants prefer full sunlight
- Temperature: Varied preferences ranging from cool weather crops like Swiss chard to heat-loving crops like basil
- Gardening Benefits:
- Can cultivate a more nutrient-dense diet through your garden
- Enjoy a variety of natural flavors and colors from home-grown produce
- Opportunity to grow dual-purpose plants, like the cilantro which offers both fresh leaves and coriander seeds
Plant-Based Sources Of Magnesium Quick Reference Growing Chart
| Plant | Planting Zones | Optimal Temperature (°F) | Sunlight | Soil Type | Annual/Biennial/Perennial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dill | 2-11 | 60-75 | Full | Well-draining | Annual |
| Swiss Chard | 5-10 (as biennial), 2-5 (as annual) | 32-75 | Full | Nutritious, well-draining | Biennial/Annual |
| Kale | 7-10 | – | Full | Well-draining | – |
| Acorn Squash | 3-10 | 70-90 | Full | Well-draining | Annual |
| Coriander | 2-11 | – | Full to partial | Sandy, well-draining | Annual |
| Basil | 10-11 (as perennial), others as annual | – | Full | – | Annual/Perennial |
| Green Peas | 2-11 | Spring and Fall | Full | Nutritious, well-draining | Annual |
| Broccoli | 2-11 | 40-70 | Minimum 6 hours/day | Well-draining | Annual |
| Savory (Summer & Winter) | All zones (summer), 5-11 (winter) | – | Full | Well-draining | Annual/Perennial |
| Spinach | 2-9 | 40-75 | Full | Nutritious, well-draining | Annual |
| Chives | 3-10 | – | Ample | Nutritious, well-draining | Perennial |
| Mint | 3-8 | Down to -20 | Full to partial | Well-draining | Perennial |
| Okra | 2-11 | – | Minimum 6 hours/day | Nutritious, well-draining | Annual |
| Potatoes | 3-10 | – | Ample | Aerated, well-draining | Annual |
| Sage | 4-10 | – | Warm, ample sunlight | Well-draining | Perennial |
Learn More About Magnesium
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/magnesium/
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium
https://myhealth.ucsd.edu/19,Magnesium
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