While aspirin is often used to treat headaches and in people at risk for a heart attack or blood clots, it can also be used on plants in your garden.
Aspirin: Apply it to the plant immediately. Here are 5 good reasons why!
The active ingredient in aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid. Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that plants treated with this drug had an enhanced immune response. As a result, the plants were better protected from insect infestation or other diseases. Other researchers found that orchards sprayed with an aspirin mixture grew faster than the control group (without aspirin).
We’ve only talked about a few reasons why you should use aspirin in your garden, but let’s look at them all.
1. Improves the development of roots and shoots.
Salicylic acid promotes root formation in plants. For example, one study showed how this substance increases the proliferation of soy roots and sprouts. Dissolve one aspirin tablet in a cup of water and soak the cutting in the solution for a few hours.
2. Improves germination
Aspirin can improve germination. A small dose of aspirin (1 tablet dissolved in 5 liters of water) can significantly improve the seed germination of flowers and vegetables.
3. Increases plant growth.
Taking aspirin in plants increases their growth. The University of Rhode Island sprayed the plants with an aqueous solution of aspirin every three weeks during the growing season. In the end, the plants sprayed with the aspirin solution were larger and had more fruits and flowers than the others that did not receive this treatment.
4. Fresh flowers longer
Aspirin helps cut flowers stay fresh longer. Simply dissolve half a tablet of aspirin in a vase with fresh flowers from the garden. These last longer.
5. Healthier tomatoes
Some studies show that using aspirin helps increase yields, have healthier plants, and more robust leaves. Before planting, spray your tomato plants with a mixture of water and aspirin (or soak the seeds). This makes tomato plants healthier and more resistant to diseases.
In this study, scientists sprayed salicylic acid on some tomato seedlings. The plants were then attacked by a pathogen, the bacterium that causes purple peak disease in potatoes. The preventive use of acetylsalicylic acid halved the spread of bacteria. However, if the substance is only used after the bacterial infection has already taken place, the effect is mild or almost ineffective. Therefore, we conclude that when applied preventively to plants, preventive systemic resistance is triggered, which helps fight infections.
6. Treat plants that are infested with fungi.
Aspirin can cure fungi from infected plants in the soil. Spray your plants with a mixture of water and aspirin to prevent fungal diseases. In addition, the same solution can help treat plant pests. You only need to spray this solution on your plants at the first sign of mildew for it to be effective.
Using aspirin is not technically a natural solution. However, it is an option that is considered safe because it contains far fewer toxic chemicals than many other commercial products.
