[m1ckz]

most parts of my plot is giving off white rot to my onions     i was told by a chap further down to give it a water of weak jeyes fluid  do you think this will help   any coments please

[snowdrops]

It's illegal to put Keyes fluid on to your soil, but apart from that no I don't. Gurgle onion white rot or others will be along to suggest safe remedies. I think some say to water with garlic water before you plant to encourage the spore to develop but I might have got that wrong

[Norfolkgrey]

It's illegal to put Keyes fluid on to your soil

Is it?  I don't suppose you remember where you got that from. I wonder how they expect you to not get it on soil when uses include cleaning greenhouses, animal shelters and putting some in you water butt water.

Back to original post, I don't know if it would help but I have read it is meant to help with vine weevils and rose black spot and the likes. However, I would want to see a bit more proof before covering large areas. Although if it is illegal its not an option. 

[JayG]

The following is an extract from a 2003 explanation of the withdrawal of many pesticides from the EU market published by the Friends of the Earth.

Despite the withdrawal of 81 amateur products, there is unlikely to be a major impact on the home and garden market because the manufacturers are using various methods to minimise their losses. For example, the approval for tar acids as a pesticide is being withdrawn but the two products containing tar acids, Jeyes Fluid and Armillatox, will continue to be marketed because the manufacturers can change the claims on the packaging. So while Armillatox was previously marketed to combat honey fungus and a number of other pests, from 25 July it will be marketed as a ‘soap-based cleaner’, requiring no license for sale.

Jeyes Fluid will no longer be marketed to sterilise soil and kill moss and lichens, but will continue to be marketed for cleaning greenhouses, paths, patios and for disinfecting tools, pots, stables, kennels and hutches. Both of these products have strong brand recognition and so their sales may not be significantly affected. Amateur users are often less informed about regulatory changes and so may continue to use products as before.

Full document (PDF file):
http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/breaking_the_pesticide_chain.pdf

So, Jeyes Fluid is not approved for use as a pesticide, and as such it would be illegal to use it for that purpose in an EU country.

Whether it's effective or not against onion white rot is therefore somewhat irrelevant if you want to stay within the law, but my feelings are that it's quite a toxic potion to be watering into your soil anyway, despite what previous generations used to quite happily do with it.

[mumofstig]

It is now illegal to use it as a soil steriliser not because it was banned but because the manufacturers decided not to renew the licence for use as a steriliser.
Once it has no licence it is illegal, therefore we don't discuss it's use, other than for cleaning, on the Forum.

From John's page http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/home-made-pesticide.php

So, before you follow a suggestion from another gardener to make your own pest control or weed killing product, or to use a traditional remedy or an existing product in an unapproved way; please consider that you may be taking a risk with your health or that of others or the environment.

snap John, but wanted to add John's link

[Norfolkgrey]

Thank you for your responses on the illegal soil use and licenses 

[Goosegirl]

It's also toxic for cats.

[JimB]

'
The reason the license was not renewed was cost, it cost many thousands of paper pounds just to renew and so is not worthwhile cost wise for the manufactures to license for amateur use!

Only in Britain do the thought police run around checking that we abide to the letter of the law, do Italy Greece, France, Spain or Portugal for that matter, give two hoots for EC regulations, no they jolly well don't, they just carry on regardless as they always have done!

[mumofstig]

What you do in your own garden is, of course, up to you  - the same as it is in other countries.

We just don't talk about it on this forum, as requested by the site owner.

[Salmo]

The formula for Jeyes Fluid changed a few years ago. I think it contained things like phenols which are carcinogenic. Probably when they changed the contents it was not worth the costs of licencing what is in fact a new product for what must be a very small market.

The only real solution to white rot is to stop growing the onion family for about 10 years. It is usually, but not always, found on long cultivated plots. In the past onions were often grown on the same bed for many years and given a good soaking with jeyes fluid each Spring.

The modern trend of growing a lot of overwintering onions and garlic must have made things worse as there is no break in cropping.

[JayG]

The modern trend of growing a lot of overwintering onions and garlic must have made things worse as there is no break in cropping.

Don't think the recent popularity of ornamental alliums is helping much when it comes to keeping the other allium pests under control either.

[mumofstig]

The formula for Jeyes Fluid changed a few years ago.

According to Jeyes themselves, it still is the same formula
http://www.jeyes.com/en-gb/about-us/our-story/

and it is because it still contains the nasties that the EU asked for the extra testing. Instead of the extra testing Jeyes changed the approved uses 

[JimB]

.

Hi  m1ckz

Re white rot , the season before last, besides the usual onion sets Turbo and Sturon I bought white sets as well to try!

Almost all of the white lot succumbed to white rot, and a few of the normal ones as well, I burned the infected ones,did not let any parts get  into  the compost heaps!

So no more white ones for me, last year there were a few normals with it, so far this year everything looks fine.

As far as I am concerned the white rot came in with the white onion sets.

Cheers!

[chickpeacurry]

I am never sure what I should spray on the soil I try to avoid plants but I had to spray ant spray in my carrot bed. Is this going to be a problem when they grow.  I put any powder down yesterday but that was on a path.  What should I do when ants near crops. I think there should be at sign on chemicals if it should not be used on soil 

[m1ckz]

jimb     i also had white lisbon in my onion bed..hmmm food for thought