Topic: Asprin spray

[MikeB]

I picked up the following article from another forum and thought it might be of interest.

MARTHA MCBURNEY, the master gardener in charge of the demonstration vegetable garden at the University of Rhode Island, had a bee in her bonnet. After reading up on the 'Systematic Acquired Resistance' (SAR) in plants, which helps boost their immune system, she became convinced that aspirin would render their immune system even stronger and keep them healthier. Although richly laughed at, last summer she tested 'aspirin water' on a variety of plan

How much, and how often?

The dosage Martha arrived at after numerous experiments was 1.5 aspirin (81 mg. strength) to two gallons of water. Important note: The tablets should be the uncoated type. She also added two tablespoons of yucca extract to help the aspirin water stick better to the leaves. (The yucca extract can be substituted with a mild liquid soap).

SPRAYING

Finally, Martha divised a schedule of spraying once every three weeks, no matter the type of plant. The summer when Martha first started testing aspirin water was not the best, weather-wise. It was cool, rainy and damp. Yet, by the end of the season, the plants growing in the raised beds on which the aspirin water had been used looked like they were on steroids! They were huge and green and insects-free. Some disease seemed even to have reversed themselves on cucumbers affected by a virus.

ASPIRIN IMPROVES SEED GERMINATION

Martha also sprayed the aspirin water on the seeds directly sowed in the ground. The result was close to 100 per cent seed germination, compared to spotty germination in the other trial beds.

Martha's experience caused scientists at the University of Arizona (along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)), to start studying how salicylic acid (main component in aspirin) induces plants into releasing their natural defences against harmful fungi, bacteria and viruses. According to an article by Dean Fosdick of the Associated Press, "They envision it as a commercially viable alternative to synthetic pesticides in a natural way to extend the life of susceptible yet popular crops."

[agapanthus]

WOW !!! :o :o :o

[mat]

wow, I'll give this a try this year on my plot.  Anyne know whether the standard "cheap" asprins are "uncoated"?  I don't normally buy them as I can only take paracetamol, so don't know about the "coatings"

mat

[tim]

Yes - I like the coated ones which are easier to swallow & are kinder to the insides.

[MikeB]

Anyne know whether the standard "cheap" asprins are "uncoated"?  I don't normally buy them as I can only take paracetamol, so don't know about the "coatings"

mat

I don't know, but wouldn't soluble be uncoated? I intend to check with the chemist tomorrow.

[mat]

I don't know, but wouldn't soluble be uncoated? I intend to check with the chemist tomorrow.

Chemists are going to start wondering what is going on, if all us gardeners start asking for uncoated soluble asprins  ;D

[grawrc]

It seems like aspirin really is a wonder drug.

[supersprout]

Thanks for posting. Definitely worth a trial on half a bed! :o

[agapanthus]

hubbie went to Tesco yesterday to buy some soluble aspirin and as it was for more than one packet had to get it checked out by the pharmacist.....told her what he wanted them for, expecting a show of surprise on her face and she said that she has used them on her roses for years!!!!!

[Gardenantics]

Don't you get salicylic acid occuring naturally in willows? (Salix) and maybe that's why they root so well? I put some 6" diam. willow logs on end against a wall for a couple of months, and they rooted!
Keep taking the pills.

Brian

[jennym]

There's been somework done on this subject in the UK in the past, as this extract demontrates :)

The Newsletter of the British Society for Plant Pathology
Number 35, Autumn 1999 
Aberystwyth has long been a centre for plant  pathology research ...
... exciting  developments in understanding how the diverse strategies employed by the plant to neutralise a potential pathogen are  regulated. They are focusing on action of chemicals signals synthesised by the plants following the elicitation of  the hypersensitive response, including the roles of hydrogen peroxide in host cell-death defence gene activation, as well  as the action of salicylic acid in boosting plant defences in toto.

Having previously focused on pathogens of model  dicot species, the move to Aber and links with IGER have provided an opportunity to study these mechanisms in cereal and  grass species too. The group has several commercial links and it is hoped that will their work will  contribute to the development of novel forms of field resistance based on sprays, which may mimic the action of  endogenous defence signals, or genetically modified crops.

[MikeB]

Jenny you couldn't provide a translation I suppose?

[Georgie]

Thanks MikeB I'm certainly going to give it a trial this year.

G xx

[littlegem]

does this go against organic gardening?

[jennym]

Jenny you couldn't provide a translation I suppose?

Erm, I'll try...no guarantees that this is 100% accurate though.

When many plants are attacked, they produce salicylic acid. Another substance, a protein, sees salicylic acid being produced, binds with it, and the plant does the only thing it can to protect itself (because it doesn't actually have an immune system like animals do) and the cells around the attacked area are sort of switched off and die, this has the effect of preventing the attack spread further through the plant, as the disease which is attacking only moves through live cells. So in effect, the way that the plant protects itself, is to build a layer of dead cells. I think there are more ways that this happens, too, but I don't know them.

Evidently, the gene that makes this particular sequence of events happen was identified late in 2003, they call it the salicylic acid-binding protein 2 (SABP2) gene. I guess the media have really only just got hold of it all.

[grawrc]

Hence half an aspirin in the vase of cut flowers.

[MikeB]

Thanks Jennym

Regards

[good gourd]

The Asprin treatment seems a great idea, but please can someone help on exactly how many 75mg asprins to use.  Perhaps we are all thick around where I live but even our chemist could not tell me exactly.   

[MikeB]

how many 75mg asprins to use.    

From the article it's 1 1/2 tablets at 81mg strength, thats close enough to 75 mg not to worry about, so 1 1/2 tablets it is to two gallons of water.

[fluffygrue]

Yup, I'm pretty sure willow bark was the original source of aspirin.. So if you made some willow tea, that'd be organic enough for me anyway. Also good for rooting as it's full of rooting hormones..

Shame we have no willow trees here!

Melanie