7+ brilliant reasons to use aspirin in the garden

If the only time you reach for an aspirin is when you feel a headache coming on, you might want reconsider. While aspirin is commonly used to treat headaches and people at risk for heart attacks or blood clots, the medicine cabinet is only one place this cheap solution works.
The next time you head out to the backyard to work on your garden, you might want to include a bottle of aspirin in your garden supplies. Before we dive into how aspirin can help your garden, let's talk about why it works.
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How does aspirin aid in plant growth?
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First off, the active ingredient of aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, which is derived from salicylic acid. Studies performed by the United States Department of Agriculture showed that plants from the nightshade family received an improved immune response when interacting with salicylic acid.
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This meant the plants were more protected against an insect attack or other type of disease. Other researchers found that vegetable gardens that were sprayed with an aspirin mixture grew faster than control groups without it.
Here are several reasons you should use aspirin in your garden:
1. Aspirin works as a rooting agent
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When you're transplanting your flowers or other plants, help them grow sturdier roots. Spritz the roots of your plant with a mixture of aspirin and water before replanting it in a pot to develop firmer roots.
2. Aspirin improves germination
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A low dose of aspirin (think 1.5 tablets in 2 gallons of water) can significantly improve seed germination. In fact, one study the plants treated with the aspirin water had a 100 percent germination rate, while the plants that weren't treated had more inconsistent results.
3. An aspirin paste can ease bug bites and stings
If you get bit by a bug or stung by a bee while you're working out in the garden, crush an aspirin tablet into some water and apply it to the bite for instant sting relief.
4. Aspirin increases growth of plants
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The University of Rhode Island sprayed plants with an aspirin water solution once every three weeks for the course of an entire growing season. At the end, the plants sprayed with the aspirin solution were bigger and had more fruit/flowers than their counterparts.
5. Aspirin helps cut flowers stay fresh longer
Put a half tablet of aspirin in a vase with fresh cut flowers from your garden to help them stay fresh longer.
6. Aspirin makes it easier to grow healthier tomatoes
Spray your tomato plants (or soak seeds) in a water/aspirin mixture before planting them in the ground for healthier, more disease-resistant plants.
7. Aspirin treats fungus conditions in the soil
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Spray your plants with an aspirin/water mixture to prevent fungal diseases. Additionally, the same solution can help cure blight on your plants. You just need to spray your plants at the first sign of blight for it be effective, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
Using aspirin is not technically an organic solution; however, it is a safe option that contains far fewer chemicals than most store-bought products.
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Don't forget to share these ideas with your friends on Facebook so they can have healthier plants this season too.