[Lottie Lady]

On watching the 'Big Dig', Terry from the Welsh allotment site soaked his Rhubarb leaves in a bucket of water to make a liquid deterant which he sprayed on all his brassicas against the Cabbage White, which he says has made them free from the caterpillers.  Now although I was of the opinion that the leaves were posionous I have been reliably informed that it is safe to use them this way,  someone also suggested that you wrap the roots of brassicas in the leaves as it deters club root.  

This liquid is apparently as stinky as Comfrey feed so now I am also wondering if either liquid would deter Carrot fly.

Would be really interested in your opinions.

 
LLx

[richyrich7]

It's worth ago it might put em off or it might just kill the b@@gers    who cares if it works, as for being poisonous you need to eat about 11lbs of leaves to kill a human. Take a look here for more info.

[Zak the Rabbit]

i can see how this could work.  Wether by the toxicity of oxalic acid to the insects, or by the formation of a layer of sharp crystals that would damage the bugs, i dont know.

What i could say is that soaking the leaves probably wouldnt rmeove too much of the oxalic acid. Homogenising (ie mashing up) the leaves and then soaking, before straining away the solids, would release far more of the oxalic acid