Amy Stewart was back in town and I attended her "Flower Confidential" book talk at AHS's River Farm today. You'll recall that we co-hosted a talk by her last year for the initial book tour. Now in paperback and timed perfectly for Valentine's Day, she is back on the road to discuss the virtues of organic cut flowers and the behind-the-scenes stories of the vast floral industry.One of the fun facts on her "Cut Flower Care" handout caught my eye. Apparently, if you are out of commercial flower food "a pinch of ground-up Viagra" will do just as well. Now THAT explains why I get over 200 spam emails for "enhancing my male parts" in the editor-at-washingtongardener.com inbox each day! Who knew it had a plant application?
This is a good post. Funnily, I just wrote a review of 'Flower Confidential' and almost put in the line about the ground-up Viagra. I'm glad it made it into a post!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't resist the Valentine's Day ~ Viagra connection - a dual purpose drug?
ReplyDeleteHow do you suppose anyone ever thought to try it? "I'm out of plant food. Let's see. What else do I have . . ."
ReplyDeleteLOL - aspirin is supposed to be good for cut flowers too - so I can see the leap. But you are right, Firephrase, that is an expensive and odd experiment.
ReplyDeleteDoes make me think of that first person to eat an oyster - dude, are you SURE that you are that hungry??
hi
ReplyDeletenice blog, a good health product.
I have a site and want to link exchange with you i will give a link from my site and you give link from this blog and any other blog what you want if interested use the detail Blue Pill and let me know at stevekristen@gmail.com
LOL Steve! - I wondered how long it'd be before the blue poll folks pounced.
ReplyDeletePlease, please, let’s have a contest to name the “blue pill” for horticultural uses. My suggestion: Never Wilt! The big question I have is whether horticultural uses should carry a warning label: “WARNING: Call your horticulturist if Never Wilt! lasts longer than 4 hours.”
ReplyDeletePotato Leaf, I LOVE it! I was thinking along the lines of: "Are your stems sturdy enough? No more flopping over and premature wilting with the Viagra for Plant Vigor" LOL - Any other entries?
ReplyDeleteI kind of like Organique. "When nature needs a little help."
ReplyDeletejb
I just had a thought - what about Cialis and Levitra? I wonder if they work too. One of them lasts up to 24 hours, 'for when the moment is just right'.
ReplyDeleteThese are hilarious.
I had a former coworker named Alice - she HATED those Cialis commercials since it is pronounced "see Alice" and the implications are quite cheeky.
ReplyDeleteLOL FP - "Organ"-ique indeed! The possibilities are endless and plants are so sexual by nature (see Georgia O'Keefe or take a close look at any orchid) that the pairings are inevitable. Keep 'em coming :-)
Oh, my, I blush at all the remarks about the “blue pill.” I never realized that sex was so central to gardening, but I suppose I’m beginning to get an idea about what those bunnies were doing last spring. And I suppose that I should have realized long ago that without sex there would be no gardens. But back to the “pill.” Being of frugal nature, I’m concerned about what happens to the rest of the ground-up pill after you put a pinch in the flower water. Perhaps the extra could be put into a Baggie and taken to the nursery center at a Lowe’s big-box hardware store. They sell a Soft & Supple Garden Hose that just might benefit. Waste not, want not.
ReplyDeleteEddie Rhoades of
ReplyDeletewww.bittersweetgardens.com writes me off blog:
>That comment about viagra was funny. Myself, I dissolve a viagra tablet in the watering can and water my tomatoes with it. That way I don't have to stake them.
>
Then adds:
>Please do share that valuable horticultural info with your readers. Are you connected with the Master Gardener program? I will be speaking this summer at 2 different State Master Gardener Symposia, Mississippi and South Carolina. If you are connected with the MG magazine I could promote it with a few back issues.
Best,
Eddie Rhoades
http://www.bittersweetgardens.com
PS - On a more solemn note, my doctor told one of his patients was taking nitroglycerene and took two Viagra tablets which killed him. The worst thing was, they couldn't get the coffin lid shut.<
No, Eddie, Washington Gardener Magazine is a completely independent publication though we love to partner with the local Master Gardeners when and where we can.
Okay, I get the inference. You're correct, however, Firephrase; it is an unusual and perhaps costly experiment.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder who the first oyster eater was.Please go to information garden tasks in the visit my website fastrecruita.com