[sprinkler1]

I saw a chap on big dig making a liquid tea from rhubarb leaves to foliage spray his brassicas to deter cabbage white catterpillar.,but im informed that rhubarb leaves are poisonous,i was going to try it but im not sure now what to do,can any body help?

[gobs]

I'm not certain if they deter anything, but are used by folks for all sorts of things nevertheless, which doesn't mean it works. I don't know.

They are not poisonous, they are toxic, contain oxalic acid in large amounts, you might not want to put it on leaves you want to eat row, cooking breaks it down and time of course, if you are keen to try.

[Aidy]

I tried it last year and it had a big fat 0 effect, all it did was stink.

[digby]

I did it last year and it worked, also seemed to fertilise them, my sprouts grew brilliantly

[gobs]

I did it last year and it worked, also seemed to fertilise them, my sprouts grew brilliantly

I heard all sorts of claims about them before, never a fertiliser so far. When you say they  worked what do you mean? What 's your comparison?

Did you use them as above described, ie. foliar treatment, as that got washed away last season as soon as you put it on surely, anywhere, but especially in Gloucestershire.

[Trillium]

When something is toxic, I'm reluctant to use it in any capacity. There's so much else that's better and safer, like comfrey tea, liquid seaweed foliar spray, manure tea, homemade concotions. The simple task of putting artemesia leaves around vulnerable plants works a treat. Discovered it when one swamped one of my roses, which didn't get a single worm on it all season. Read elsewhere where the French use artemesia cuttings as well. Simple netting will keep white flies off without resorting to something rather tricky as rhubarb leaves.