Topic: Rhubarb Insectisde & Cabbages

[topman]

is it safe to use Rhubarb Insectisde on cabbages for whitefly and how often can it be used.

[Plot69]

is it safe to use Rhubarb Insectisde on cabbages for whitefly and how often can it be used.

I used it all last year. Any rhubarb leaves I get I put in a bin full of water to ferment and then spray my brassicas. It helps keep butterflies away as well.

But beware, it absolutely stinks to high heaven!

[calendula]

you could try garlic water - found that to be good in the g/h last year - the smell makes you feel hungry though  ;D

[goodlife]

Just wanted point out...that home made insecticides are agains law...Eu regulations again.. ::)
So any recipies changed are strickly for theoretical purposes only... ;D ;)
...we do not want to encourage illegal activities... ;) ;)

[goodlife]

Just another thought...I use rhubarb leaves as a mulch under my gooseberry bushes...and they never suffer with sawfly damage... ;)

[Plot69]

Just wanted point out...that home made insecticides are agains law...Eu regulations again.. ::)

But I'm not European, I'm English!

[calendula]

and isn't the law to do with concocting nasty chemical insecticides not 'other' home brews such as these mentioned  :-\

[two sheds]

Hi Topman

Off topic, but where have you got your alllotment? I am up the road in Forest Gate....

regards


Julie

[topman]

Hi Julie
I've got my allotment at the Leyes Rd site top end of Prince Regents Lane oppisite Prince Regent station.
         JOHN

[star]

Just wanted point out...that home made insecticides are agains law...Eu regulations again.. ::)
So any recipies changed are strickly for theoretical purposes only... ;D ;)
...we do not want to encourage illegal activities... ;) ;)

And also (though its nitpicking) its illegal to use washing up liquid as a spray for greenfly, as that is not the purpose of the product and the powers that be have not tested it for effects / after effects etc etc etc ::) ::) ::)

[goodlife]

and isn't the law to do with concocting nasty chemical insecticides not 'other' home brews such as these mentioned  :-\

You would think so...but It does include home brews...  :-\
Last year there was article in one of the gardening magazines about insecticides and they included some recipes for home brews..with added note.."not to be used,  just mentioned as example"... ;)

[Plot69]

I don't use it as an insecticide, I compost the leaves in a bin full of water and use it as a foliar feed  ::)

[teresa]

Ah the Rhubarb is a wonderfull plant,
I boil the leaves up and strain them when cooled bottled up and dilute down and spray. Just make sure all utensils are old and not used in the kitchen unless you scrub them well.
works on white fly for fuchisa's and greens,
also a good wormer for hens.
EU have too many rules and regs lets get real, not all gardeners are rolling in money to buy the sprays that dont work?
Best of all its Organic you know whats in it and costs nothing. If you havent a plant someone you know will have it and give you a few leaves.

[GrannieAnnie]

Ah the Rhubarb is a wonderfull plant,
I boil the leaves up and strain them when cooled bottled up and dilute down and spray. Just make sure all utensils are old and not used in the kitchen unless you scrub them well.
works on white fly for fuchisa's and greens,
also a good wormer for hens.
EU have too many rules and regs lets get real, not all gardeners are rolling in money to buy the sprays that dont work?
Best of all its Organic you know whats in it and costs nothing. If you havent a plant someone you know will have it and give you a few leaves.

WHen you say you use it on "greens" do you mean lettuce? Is there any danger of residue when you eat the lettuce considering the oxalic acid in the leaves?  How many rhubarb leaves would you put in say a quart of water and how much do you dilute it?
I'm asking for complete directions cuz I plan to USE it in the Land of the Free ! ;) ;D
(the more I read about EU regs on this forum the scarier it gets :o)

[antipodes]

A lot of these natural brews are illegal, I believe it is because of lobbying from big industrial groups who want to nitpick over organic methods. So nettle tea (Called purin d'orties here in France and widely used by country people) and other concoctions like that are banned because their effects have not been thoroughly investigated.
Certainly seems like a storm in a teacup, then again often for decades we use something that turns out to be harmful without realizing it... I think the EU gets a lot of bad press in UK, often not always true, but I feel they often make use of too much bureaucratic zeal. It si hard to get 25 odd countries to all agree on something too, don't forget!

[Plot69]

I personally wouldn't use it on lettuce. Brassicas spend a lot longer in the ground and so the effects of the spray have longer to wear off. I suppose it'll be OK if you wash them well. Try it out and if your still posting next year we'll know it's safe :)

I put all my leaves in a dustbin full of water and leave them for a few weeks. I don't use a spray or dilute it, I just water it on with a can and keep topping the bin up when it gets low.

Land of the free eh? I've declared independence  on my three plots and I'm not telling the EU the combination to get through the gates :)

Besides, they didn't do bugger all when all the shed's got broken into last week into so they 'ain't going to worry about my rhubarb.

[GrannieAnnie]

I personally wouldn't use it on lettuce. Brassicas spend a lot longer in the ground and so the effects of the spray have longer to wear off. I suppose it'll be OK if you wash them well. Try it out and if your still posting next year we'll know it's safe :)

I put all my leaves in a dustbin full of water and leave them for a few weeks. I don't use a spray or dilute it, I just water it on with a can and keep topping the bin up when it gets low.

Land of the free eh? I've declared independence  on my three plots and I'm not telling the EU the combination to get through the gates :)

Besides, they didn't do bugger all when all the shed's got broken into last week into so they 'ain't going to worry about my rhubarb.

LOL!  Tell me, how do you keep up with THREE plots?? Must be like keeping up with triplets.

[Plot69]

LOL!  Tell me, how do you keep up with THREE plots?? Must be like keeping up with triplets.

I've been a foster parent for 18 years. Once I had 6 all under the age of 4 so triplets would be a doddle. And we used to take them all camping every week. Even now I have 12, 11, 8 and a 7 year old, I've never had less than 4 to look after in the past 18 years. The 7 year old we got at 7 hours old straight from hospital and ended up adopting him.

As for the allotments, hard work getting on top of them but once it's done it's not too hard to keep them clean. Whatever I need to do when I go I always make sure I have 15/20 minutes with the hoe.

The third plot I took on out of guilt. I got my first two plots clean (See my before and after photo's) and ready to plant and felt guilty about sitting in my shed drinking tea with nothing to do... And that's the truth.