[nothinghasdiedyet]

I have had a pretty productive day on the allotment this morning.
I got a substantial amount of digging done and clearig out of everything that was left.

Picked the remiainder of my Leeks from last year (about a dozen) but I also managed to pick about 10 rhubarb sticks.

My neighbour (Allotment that is) told me I could make a good insecticide with the leave by boiling them so my question is.

How much water to leaf do you use to make a good insecticide?

[Yorkie]

I've heard this before, and others may have successfully tried it, but one thing springs to mind.  

Rhubarb leaves are poisonous to humans, and stewed rhubarb leaves aren't approved / legal for use on edible crops.  I'd therefore be a bit cautious before putting something on my crops at a concentration which I couldn't check, and which I didn't know to be safe.

[Dabhand]

I *think* the leaves contain Oxalyc Acid (sp) and are toxic to humans.  I don't know about using them as an insectiside though.

[Kanute]

Saw something on BBC think it was called "The Big Dig" and someone used rhubarb leaves for whitefly and cabbage whites, but they stuffed the leaves in a bin, added water and kept covered for 2 weeks.  Smells as bad as comphrey juice I'm told but will try it this year.

[nothinghasdiedyet]

Not sure now if I am going to try the boiling option but I did see the Big Dig episode and had forgot about that so I may try that.

Also if boiling it gives off a crappy smell the wife may shoot me

[noshed]

According to John's book it's 500g to 1 litre of water, boil for 30mins. He doesn't mention smell...

[nothinghasdiedyet]

TBH I think I will just compost the leaves as the mixture apparently only lasts for a couple of days after its been made so I may as well just stick to the soapy water trick.

[digby]

I did the fermenting them in water thing like the man on the big dig last year, it definately worked.  The cabbage white butterflies wouldn't even land on them and it seemed to work as a fertilizer as well.  I used it on my sprouts and they were great.

[nothinghasdiedyet]

NHDY Changes his mind yet again.

Guess I will be obtaining a pot to ferment my brew

 

[Teen76]

Wow Digby, thanks for the information that it does work.  Cabbage White Butterflies are my enemy :twisted: nice to know I can keep them away an organic way.

[Larry the lep]

i use rhubarb leaves left in water as a fertilizer it stinks to hi heaven but it seems to work

[SkipRat]

Used the same trick last year on all my brassicas, seemed to work as I had no trouble with cabbage whites.