Da Hooch

Makes humans crooked, makes plants straight.

Expert Says Hard Liquor Helps Houseplants

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) - For home gardeners who don't want their flowers to tip over, a Cornell University horticulturist thinks he has the answer: Get the flowers a little tipsy with some hard liquor.

Giving some plants diluted alcohol - whiskey, vodka, gin or tequila - stunts the growth of a plant's leaves and stems but doesn't affect the blossoms, said William Miller, director of Cornell's Flower Bulb Research Program.

Miller reported his findings in the April issue of HortTechnology, a peer-reviewed journal of horticulture.

``I've heard of using alcohol for lots of things ... but never for dwarfing plants,'' said Charlie Nardozzi, a senior horticulturist with the National Gardening Association, a Vermont-based organization that promotes plant-based education.