Topic: Has anyone made fungicide from horsetail?

[sweet-pea]

Hello all

I've read somewhere that you can make a fungicide from horsetail that can be used against blight as a preventative measure.  Has anyone ever made it?  I have a recipe, I was just wondering whether it is OK to boil it up in a saucepan we use for cooking, or whether it is best to find an old one.

Many thanks

SP x

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'd use an old one; I can imagine the reaction if Namissa found me using one of the pots we cook with!

[daileg]

I'm intrested in your recipe for this if you didn't mind that is have old pot i can use

[sweet-pea]

Horsetail Fungicide recipe (taken from http://littlegreenblog.com/)

 In a large glass or stainless steel pot, mix 1/8 cup of dried horsetail leaves in 4 1/2 litres of unchlorinated water (use water from your waterbut or let some tap water stand for a couple of days)
Bring to a boil, and simmer for 1/2 hr.
Cool, strain, bottle and label. The infusion will keep for a month which is long enough for you to keep reapplying to your crop. Any left overs can be used as a wonderful hair rinse.
To use, dilute the 1 part horsetail concentrate to 5-10 parts unchlorinated water. Spray infected plants once every week or two in dry weather or daily if it is raining.  Can also be used as a preventative measure if there is a threat of blight in your area.

[manicscousers]

great idea,sweet-pea,  wonder if it works for peach leaf curl ?
goodness knows, we've got enough of the stuff  ;D

[sweet-pea]

Have no idea, but might be worth a try....now all I need is to try and find an old pan!

[manicscousers]

me, too, I got rid of them all about a month ago, must have an old camping pan somewhere  ;D
maybe my old coffee pot, never use it  :)

[calendula]

it will probably work just as well in an old bucket and just pour boiling water on and it will probably also work just soaking in water - I always leave a fair amount of it in the ground as I know it will be doing to same job and I've never understood people getting so fussed about it  :D

[John_Pearce]

My best crop is horsetail each year it seems so anything it can be used for is good.
Just wondering if it can be used against the rust that appears to be affecting garlic crops.

Will investigate next year.

John