[paulb58]

Hi,
can anyone please clear up a question I have please? a friend of mine said I can water my Brassica with some kind of mixture where rubarb leaves are soaked in water till the smell bad and water all brassica including lettuce with a 50/50 mix with water, this he says will keep away white fly and also can be used as a feed for all veg can anyone tell me if this is correct or not I say its not a feed as its poisonous to other veg can you tell me who is correct if either of us.
Thank you.
Paul

[Trillium]

I've never heard of rhubarb leaves used as a feed due to the oxalic acid content, but I have heard of it used as a mulch against pests.

Here's something from Herb Garden Pro:

If you are troubled by aphids, use either basil leaves, rhubarb leaves or elder leaves. Take 8 oz (250 g) of leaves and simmer in 4 cups (1 liter) of water for 30 minutes.

Cool, then strain. Separately, mix 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid or soapflakes in 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) of cold water. Mix both solutions together and spray.
 Don’t use food utensils when making sprays.

[lucywil]

one of the guys on our plot uses rhubarb leaves like this, he waters it over the leaves of all his brassicas and he swears that the butterflies dont like the smell so they stay away

[mumofstig]

On the TV prog The Big Dig they showed Terry Walton spraying his brassicas with this stuff, and even during the filming the butterflies were still landing on them.
So I wouldn't have much hope of it working much, don't forget the amount of time the OBs spend on their plots squishing eggs and caterpillars...........this is what works if you have time
If these sprays worked much do you think we'd all be buying debris netting 

[compostqueen]

our guys use it as well but it's for rabbits and pigeons (they say they don't like the taste) I know one of the guys using it regularly grows fantastic veg so I wouldn't argue   

[paulb58]

Thank you all for your input been a great help, I'm going to give it a go as I already have some being brewed and will let you all know how it goes later in the year when I've harvested all my cabbage,cauli and brussel's, will keep checking on my post to see what other responses I get.
Thanks again to you all
Paul.

[stompy]

Hi paul

I've been using rhubarb tea for a few years now but i use it as a feed for my plants rather than a pest deterent.
I find it just as good as comfrey tea and it smells just as bad too 
Last year was the first year i had a problem with my brassicas and cabbage white butterflies.
I lost half my crop, but last year was a bad year for them so i dont think anything other than fleceing would have stopped them.

Try useing it on just half your veg and see if there is any difference in pest attack and also plant vigour, i think you will be surprised at the results