Gardening Tip, Give your Tomato plants an Aspirin

Growing tomatoes for as long as I have I have heard most tomato growing tips. Today I read one that I have not tried.

There are gardeners who use aspirin to help their tomatoes grow. They say the benefit of the aspirin in planting is that it aids the tomato plant in fending off plant diseases.

Use a regular strength aspirin. I would purchase the cheapest brand available. Mix together one aspirin with one gallon of water. Make sure the aspirin is distributed evenly throughout the liquid.

Add a small amount of mild liquid soap to the mixture. The liquid soap will help the aspirin water stick to the tomato plants. Once the soap is added, attach a spray nozzle to the gallon jug and your aspirin remedy is ready to use.

Spray the tomatoes when you first set them in the ground. There is no need to soak the plants or ground; a light spray will do the job. Spraying at the time of planting will help to germinate the plants and will stimulate the growing process.

I read to spray the aspirin mixture on the tomato plants every 2 to 3 weeks. You will notice that the plants will be healthier and attract fewer insects. Healthy plants naturally ward off insects and lead to an overall healthier insect free garden.

You can also use the aspirin spray as first aid for tomato plants that have already sustained insect of disease damage. If you notice brown and wilting leaves on any of the tomato plants give them a spray of the solution. If the plants get worse remove them from the garden area before they spread the disease.

I would make sure that you use a fresh aspirin water mixture each time you stray, unless it’s the next day. Water becomes stagnant quickly.

I would also use room temperature water when making the mix to avoid shocking the tomato plants like cold water does.

The ingredient in the aspirin that that helps the tomato plants ward off different diseases is Salicylic acid. Used in this diluted form it should not harm any other plants or the soil.

I will try this out in the garden this year. If you have used this before please let me know.