Aspirin

[orchidsarefun]

I am reviving this thread, indirectly,

Phalaenopsis pathogens/fungus trial run

because I have also been experimenting. I use 1 ( uncoated ) aspirin per gallon of water and use this to water. I have noticed that the plant leaves are a lot more "olive" green and SEEM healthier. Obviously I cannot attribute all the good stuff to the aspirin regimen but I think I am going to continue watering with aspirin roughly every 2 weeks.
Has anyone else tried using aspirin ? I haven't used it in a spray as yet....

[jeremyinsf]

My understanding is that the plants become 'addicted' to it, and you can have problems when you stop using it.

Just a thought though, I haven't done my own experiments.

[Polarizeme]

I noticed in that thread that the original poster never posted again in March as he said he would. Wonder if all of his plants took a turn for the worse. Also the OP only had 9 posts.....

After reading that thread, I think we should all stop and think before we go rushing headlong into something that has no basis or proof and is proclaimed to be a new "miracle" for our beloved plants. I know how much we all want an easy fix for ailing or non thriving plants. It's very easy to get sucked into the touted next big thing that's going to be the remarkable perfect growth formula. Words like "all natural", "naturally occurring" and the like pull us in like the gravitational pull of an exploding dwarf star.

Snake oil. Don't buy into this stuff. Use your common sense and do some research.

And by the way, I've got some ocean front property in Arizona if anyone is interested...it has great views for a greenhouse.

[naoki]

Originally Posted by Polarizeme

Snake oil. Don't buy into this stuff. Use your common sense and do some research.

And by the way, I've got some ocean front property in Arizona if anyone is interested...it has great views for a greenhouse.

Hmmm, according to my reading (of scientific literatures), there seems to be quite a bit of evidence that ASA (even though it is a modified form of Salicylic acid) has effects on plant physiology (more specifically induction of various response against disease). However, I'm not sure it is a good thing to induce/trigger the immune response all the time. There is a reason that the SA-induced response is not expressed 100% of the time. So I use it when I think the plants may need help.

Here is a good start: Salicylic Acid, a Multifaceted Hormone to Combat Disease

I'm not familiar with all effects of this hormone, but I remember of seeing some horticultural literature, which seems to show that some aspects of growth could be influenced by ASA (increased above ground biomass or something like that), but I forgot the detail.

[ALToronto]

There is some evidence that a very small concentration of aspirin is beneficial to plants. Here is a link to an article that has some other related links at the bottom:

Cutting-edge plant science - A cure for your plant's viral headache?

They were using very low concentrations, and more doesn't seem to be better.

[Polarizeme]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

There is some evidence that a very small concentration of aspirin is beneficial to plants. Here is a link to an article that has some other related links at the bottom:

Cutting-edge plant science - A cure for your plant's viral headache?

They were using very low concentrations, and more doesn't seem to be better.

To say I'm a little hesitant to buy into using aspirin as a cure for viral disease in plants is an understatement.

I can see how the plant's natural biochemicals help it ward off infections. I don't know that chemically inducing that behavior is a good idea in the long run. From what I gathered in the article, artificially creating a systemic acquired resistance (SAR) response is like building immunity for some future attack. How does this protect the plant when it's system doesn't know what to "fight " against? What is it building immunity to? In order to build immunity to something, there must be exposure, right? To what end is creating a SAR for the sake of creating one? Wouldn't that become stressful for the plant eventually?

Frankly, it reminds me of a doctor prescribing antibiotics "in case you get sick". What good is an antibiotic when there is nothing for it to defend against?
I don't know, it just seems like one of those "too good to be true" things. I don't see any studies cited in that article either.

To each their own. They're your plants, do what you want with them, but understand the consequences.

[orchidsarefun]

I have yet to come across any article that is against the use of aspirin, but there are plenty of advocates. Here is another one :

Aspirin Water Helps Plants

I think that I will use the concoction in Winter only - only because that is when the plants are the most "stressed" and susceptible.

[Ray]

1) "Orchid people" are likely the 2nd group most interested in "magic ingredients" to make their plants grow better. Pot growers are #1.

2) While there are some additives out there that can be helpful, the best way to get optimal performance out of your plants isn't through additives at all, but through giving them the exact cultural parameters they need on a consistent basis.

3)

I think that I will use the concoction in Winter only - only because that is when the plants are the most "stressed" and susceptible.

There are all sorts of stresses - cold, heat, desiccation, insects, and diseases - and they can come at any time of the year. My plants actually do very well in the winter, as my greenhouse doesn't get so damned hot, and insects are not invading.

[orchidsarefun]

as a window-sill grower primarily, my personal experience is that Winter is the "risky" season as I am able to put the majority of my plants outdoors in Spring/Summer. The only problem I had with my orchids was with 1 or 2 grasshoppers when they were outdoors. Naturally occurring predators/wind/rain took care of the rest. Maybe I was lucky not to have any fungal or bacterial infections.

With any advice/recommendation you must always take your growing conditions into account - especially so with window-sill growing. I am always willing to try out anything organic or semi-organic because of my cultural conditions.

[Optimist]

I don't know how many plant barks contain salycetic acid, but it is contained in the bark of trees like willows. Hm. Seems to me there is a certain kind of plant that likes to cling to tree bark for some reason? Can't think of the name...