Benefits of Aspirin in Gardening

[libralady]

Thought I would share this info with fellow gardeners but many of you will already know about it. 

I wondered if I could make my own rooting powder and found that willow bark was a very easy way to do it as it contains the plant hormone salicylic acid.   Quite by chance I read a medical article and found that Aspirin also contains this.  I already knew that adding aspirin to the water for cut flowers prolongs their life but there are several other gardening uses too.

Ideas to make Rooting Hormone

Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV has over 30 trace elements that are beneficial to plant growth. Go lightly though, because vinegar is also a good weed killer. All you need to do is mix 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into 1 gallon of water and dip your cutting in it then transfer them to the rooting medium.
Cinnamon  kills fungus and bacteria and will help to keep those cuttings free of disease while rooting. You can double the fun and dip your cutting in saliva or willow tea and then cinnamon, they go hand in hand. Cinnamon will minimize off damping off in your seed flats as well.

DIY Willow Water, a Natural Rooting Hormone. Use 1" sections of thin willow branches from new growth and soak in water till ready to use.'

www.newscientist.com/.../mg12917501-600-science-aspirin-helps-the-garden-g... 

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jan/31/drug-therapy-for-plants      

[Cherry]

Interesting libralady, but this could be more expensive than buying rooting powder. Good fun though and a learning experience.

[sweetpea]

A quick dip in copper fungicide is all I use and a small bottle lasts for ever. However more often than not I don't use any rooting powder and seldom lose anything (apart from my marbles that is)

[SueA]

It is interesting, I read the New Scientist link but couldn't get the Guardian one to work libralady it said the page wasn't there. I don't often use rooting powder though but it's interesting to read that natural aspirin works to protect plants from disease as well as working for humans! I vaguely remember hearing something about cinnamon before, I think it's one of those things like vinegar which is said to have multiple uses for all sorts of things.

[sweetpea]

Oct 29, 2018 8:22:42 GMT SueA said:

It is interesting, I read the New Scientist link but couldn't get the Guardian one to work libralady it said the page wasn't there. I don't often use rooting powder though but it's interesting to read that natural aspirin works to protect plants from disease as well as working for humans! I vaguely remember hearing something about cinnamon before, I think it's one of those things like vinegar which is said to have multiple uses for all sorts of things.

Like a Swiss army knife