I'm not growing it right now, but your post has me curious. What's the idea? I may get some just to try it.

Sent you an email.

dem_pa

I started some from seed last year and noticed today that they are starting to bloom. What's your idea. Email me and let me know.
Jim
jmangrum@setelecom.com

Thanks to those who expressed an interest in my experiment.

Are you familiar with the 'aspirin technique' that many of us are using to encourage tomato plants to develop an internal resistance to the many types of tomato diseases? We are using a formula of one non-coated (chewable) aspirin tablet plus 3 tablespoons of yucca root extract to a gallon of water. This is sprayed on the tomatoes once a week with treatment beginning at the seedling stage. Yucca root extract must be purchased on-line and is expensive. It is an organic soap (surfactant) which is found in many commercial products such as toothpaste, shampoos and root beer which aids absorption in plant leaves.

It ocurred to me that Soapwort is also an organic soap and its extract is used in commerce. Easy to grow in a slightly moist situation it is a pleasing perennial groundcover. Could it be a cheap substitute for the expensive yucca root for those of us not living in the west where Yucca glauca is plentiful? The answer is, yes.

I cut back the tops of my Soapwort taking enough material to measure one cup. (The plant quickly regrows.) I cut this in small pieces, add it to two cups of water, give it a buzz with the hand food processor and let all sit for several hours. Then the soapy liquid is strained through a fine strainer and poured into a gallon jug which is then filled to the top with water and a baby aspirin added. This is sprayed on tomatoes and other plants prone to disease problems.

Experimenting further using the many flats of perennials I am growing I decided to spray just the Soapwort liquid, without aspirin added, to one-half of the flats once a week using the other half as a control group. The result has been most interesting and this is why I hope there is someone out there growing enough Soapwort to replicate this experiment and willing to report back observations. Also, try it on mature plants, treating one plant and not treating others of the same variety.

I don't grow saponaria or have the room to grow it, but I'm interested in learning what you find in your experiment. Please post updates.