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Apologies to any members of Motley Fool who will have seen this cry for help already but last night I picked more of my gorgeous Rubarb and discovered the leaves covered in thousands of black fly. They don't seem to be doing much damage to the rubarb as it seems to be growing quite strongly but I am worried about the possibility of the spread to other vegetables growing nearby.
Is that likely or will they stay happy where they are?
Does anyone know they best way to get rid of them - I want to be enviromentally friendly as possible - I think i recall reading that liquid nettle manure helps against insects but is it strong enough to get rid of the black fly?
Finally is it ok to put the rubabr leaves in the compost or should i wash them off first.

Thanks
simon

An opinion.
1. Probably.
2. Jet them off.
3. OK!
Tim

oh such sweet irony-as they like rhubarb so much simmer some leaves in a little water,strain,add a drop or two of washing up liquid then fill a small sprayer and see how they like that ;D

Stephan.

Not rhubarb, Steph, but have em on me runners!  As not too many, just keep squishing them, is that good enough?  :D

I wish I could just squish them off but there are thousands of them.
Bloody blackfly

Squish to your heart's content, MB - so long as your back allows!

That's the way we're dealing with the aphid in the greenhouse. = Tim

MB  I grow nasturtiums in front of my runners, the black fly seem to think this is caviar compared to the beans! I have vitually black fly free beans, and nasturtiums covered in blackfly!

Doris - I remember asking my father for some space on the plot for nasturtiums - one year, as they self seed, a patch of the plants died - they were covered in blackfly, but there was not a single one on the french beans.

Do wish they would leave the nasturtiums alone!! = Tim

Better the nasturtiums than my beans Tim! ;D