Greenfly Spray

Yummy !!! Wish I'd kept my rhubarb now :)) Is this to be used at dusk to prevent killing ladybirds,bees,as other greenfly sprays are BA?

Goodness, it used to be hard work, gardening, didn't it?. You can now buy sprays for just about anything ready to use!(although I try not to use sprays if I can help it-just pick everything off by hand)
Some of the old fashioned ways are great though. I have made Comfrey fertiliser(years ago).

I seem to remember you put rhubarb leaves in a trench before planting.I think it was beans,it may have been to kill root pests.Can anyone remember this ?
Yes Paul it was hard work-not that I did things like that lol ! Nothing went to waste though did it ?

No, there's a use for most things Aster! My favourite thing in the garden is when I spread my home made compost and Leaf mould on the borders (which I hope to be doing this weeken) It's a very satisfying feeling, knowing that something that cost nothing, is doing such good to the garden(Not that I'm mean!!!)

I don't know of the Rhubarb leaves in Bean trench idea Aster, but it makes sense as Rhubarb leaves are very toxic aren't they?

Aster, I don't know about its toxisity to other things other than aphids. It has never been tested so this is why it does not have a certificate and six page risk assesment report.

Don't you put bits of rhubarb stalk under your brassicas when you plant them out to deter cabbage root fly?

I'm sure its fine, as long as you don't drink it! I'd like to know if it has any systemically lasting action, or is it just an instant hit, like washing up liquid - does it say, Bulbaholic?

I don't grow Rhubarb so I couldn't do this but never heard of it(Keeping root fly from Brassicas) before. It's fascinating, the various uses things can be put to!

I would say that that it doesn't have any lasting qualities, Bamboo. It will be a fire fighting device, but it is organic.

Thanks for the recipe I will try this out.

Blimey...my grandfather used to do that!! I had quite forgotten about it and of course don't know that actual recipe he used ....but he never threw away rhubarb leaves but kept a barrel and just popped them in as he cut the stalks for the kitchen ....then added some soap....no idea what kind or how much and knowing him he probably didn't do anything special and did it "by the handful".....LOL
I don't remember any major outbreaks of pests in the old walled garden he kept..so I guess it works!!! Thanks for the reminder.

I knew about the rhubarb leaves as I had an ancient gardening book which gave the recipes. Sadly it got mislaid when I moved house.
If I remember correctly it is oxalic acid in the leaves which is poisonous.
This possibly explains why some people have reactions when cutting back Gunneras as they are the same family.
There was also a similar use for cigarette butts using the nicotine as a poison.

Before filters, Pips.

Would have been in the Woodbine, Senior Service (coffin nails) days.
I still have a ready supply as I smoke rollies :~))

I misread this as 'recipe for a homemade greenfly soup'. dont know if I am disapointed or not?

LMHO Drc :~)))

Fag smokers who have greenhouses - don't have whitefly!!! I remember hearing that one too as a kid and now that I think about it....didn't the old gardener in the Victorian Walled Garden series....with Harry Dodson (name?) talk about that "benefit" ...LOL.

How much are you prepared to pay for the ingredients, D?

Don't remember Harry Dodson talking about fags but thought he was great. Another down to earth gardener, Alz

Yes - I adored that series.....even bought the books!! And the Victorian Kitchen ones too.....she was a real character too..what was her name...Ruth? or have I gone wrong? I liked that haunting clarinet music too with Emma Thompson!!!
Great progs...we could see them again gladly.

I wanted the Garden DVDs Alz but not the Kitchen ones. Did enough of that when the kids were at home !!!

I think you can get the DVDs on dear old Amazon still.....I taped it all at the time and will probably still have it ....LOL How Aberdonian is that!!!

I've got all three series on dvd ( yep, Amazon.co.uk! ) - Victorian Kitchen Garden, Victorian Kitchen ( with Ruth Mott ) and Victorian Flower Garden. I really admire and respect Harry Dodson, what a life, what a gardener!
He was vapourising pure nicotine in a greenhouse, to kill whitefly, not advocating smoking fags in there, Alz!
Ruth Mott was one of the advisors on the film 'Gosford Park' so she was still alive in the early 2000's.

I've used rhubarb leaves boiled down in water and sprayed on brassicas etc. to deter caterpillars....yes, it's the oxalic acid, very poisonous if ingested. This was years ago but I seem to remember it being quite effective at killing them...

Thanks B.....Ruth Mott it was....lay puzzling for a while last night!!
AND....while musing I remember that it was my mother who used to puff her cigs. AT any whitefly that dared appear in her glorious greenhouse.....and they did sod off! I never saw her have any problems with pests...admittedly 60+ years ago !
Delighted to hear Ruth Mott is still on the go...apparently as recently as 2005 I see.
They don't make 'em like that any more!!!

It is good to see that at least 3 of us remember and admired Harry Dodson. He always reminded me of a benevolent Grandfather. His knowledge of the old methods was fascinating I could watch him for hours.
I wonder if he is still around

Sadly Harry died in 2005..he was 86. If you have a look at Wikipedia you will find quite a bit about him...and like you PS....I could listen to his droll words of wisdom for hours.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Dodson

Someone told me about that a few years ago, but never tried it, but thanks for reminding me about it.

I think if you google him, you might still be able to find some lovely newspaper obituaries that were written at the time of his death. Sadly missed, what a great 'real' gardener he was. One of my all time, old-time favourites. You just have to respect someone like that.

Spot on B....you can find quite a lot of entries about him....which in itself speaks volumes!

As you have jogged my memory about him I will have to google him and then treat myself to the book or dvd. Though it will have to wait a while as I have just been into Smiths and bought myself a copy of Cuttings : A Year in the Garden with Christopher Lloyd. Also bought as a pressie, Gertude Jekyll's colour Schemes for the Flower Garden. Will have to read it before I wrap it :~))

Don't know about Harry Dobson....never heard of him but he sounds like an interesting fella.
I do know though that if you are a smoker you should wash your hands before touching your tomatoes and cucumbers so as not to run the risk of tobacco mosaic virus.
As for the rhubarb leaves.....for the past two years in the autumn I have laid whole leaves around the base of my one rose which always gets rose midge. Since I have done this I haven't had any trouble with the midges. Apparently the oxalic acid leaches into the ground and kills the midge larva which overwinter in the soil around the base of the plant. Doesn't seem to hurt the earthworms as I've seen them directly under the leaves happily doing their "thing".

have to read it before you wrap it, Pipsqueak, lol - I never risk it, what if you make dirty fingermarks on the pages....

Good tip for the roses Gilli.
Will have to wear plastic gloves Bamboo LoL :~))

Naughty, naughty! I reckon we always buy presents for other people that we really want ourselves...

Will just have to make sure I don't crease the cover, Bamboo :~)) Am sure she wouldn't mind as she borrowed some she bought me last year. I have to buy pressies that I know the person would enjoy otherwise it is a waste of good money

That's how I feel about it - but I notice my sister only ever wants to buy me something she likes, and never something I ask for that I like...