[davejg]

Did anyone see James Wang on channel 4's sunday brunch this morning talking about using aspirin on tomatoes to prevent disease?

[m1ckz]

no i didnt...but my seedlings do give me a headache

[Totty]

The wife mentioned it. Had a look at gurgle and it would seem when used as a spray it may help them deal better with stress and disease, but can't find any info on it making them sweeter at all.

Totty

[Goosegirl]

This is an interesting thought, because some florists advise putting a soluble aspirin into the flower vase water to help stop the water going off.

[mumofstig]

Now - look here you lot!

You know what the EU would say about it   

[m1ckz]

oooops

[mumofstig]

 

[Asherweef]

I saw it but not sure how/why/if it works!

[Jackypam]

Have the eu REALLY taken the trouble to ban spraying with aspirin for agricultural use?  Haven't they anything better to worry about?!

[JayG]

It's the other way round Jackypam; anything not specifically tested and approved by the EU for use as a pesticide or herbicide is illegal to use for that purpose by default - no-one is going to go to the expense of getting approval for common products like aspirin or washing up liquid, so this forum remains in the difficult position of having to avoid being seen to encourage the use of such remedies, even though some of them probably are both effective and relatively harmless.

(From a personal viewpoint, if I've got a hangover I must say I'd rather take 2 aspirins than eat a pound of James Wang's treated tomatoes! )

[Headgardener22]

But surely, one is giving aspirin to the tomatoes to relieve the aches and pains of everyday life?

Its a side effect that prevents disease not the purpose.

 

[cadalot]

George Orwell was right, just 30 years off the Mark

For those that don't know who he was or have not read 1984 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

[smellykipper]

very intresting stuff 

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Boost-Your-Tomatoes-Defenses-with-Aspirin/

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/qa/aspirin-cures-plant-headaches.aspx

could work on other plants aswell.

[Casey76]

I wonder how that works... Tomatoes and willow don't often grow side by side.  I'm not sure how salicylic acid can prevent plant diseases???

I suppose a willow bark "tea" (like comfrey tea) would be a natural way of giving tomatoes aspirin.

[davejg]

apparently it "beefs up the plant" gives the leaves a more "leathery feel" ( i wonder if thats what they do to the skins on the supermarket ones). one of the reasons i mentioned it was it was a mainstream UK broadcaster so i assumed it wouldn't break an barmy rules.