Rhubarb spray

[Libby]

Got a recipe here for a pesticide. Apologies if someones already printed a similar one, but I haven,t had time to read EVERY post Yet.

Boil 1kg rhubarb leaves in 2litres of water for 30 minutes.
Strain and add 125g of a biodegradable washing powder.
Mix until the powder is dissolved, leave to cool, put in a spray bottle and use as desired.
Must be fairly potent as it says to wait 2 weeks before picking produce, and wash well before eating.
Good for roses though

It,s from Family circle Australian home collections book on 'Enviromently Friendly Home Hints'. General Editor-Verna Simpson.

[Andy Hamilton]

Found a rhubarb patch on my allotment so this might end up being pretty useful, nice one cheers.

[ina]

Looks like my goats won't get the rhubarb leaves to eat this year! They only had a few of them, anyway... Wasn't sure how good they were for them, but they did eat (and survive) them. But I'll definitely try this.
Cheers!

[Shirley]

sounds good to me... just need the rhubarb leaves lol....

got the biodegradeable washing powder (clogs in my machine unfortunately)

Had three varieties of rhubarb last year in herefordshire and they ALL died....

am going to pay a visit to the farm opposite where I used to live though as they bought our old house.... we used to have the biggest crop of rhubarb I've ever seen so perhaps they might have some spare.

[Wombat]

Careful with Rhubarb leaves, they contain oxalates and can result in kidney stones!

Nev

[ina]

So does rhubarb - not as much, maybe. My father had kidney trouble and wasn't allowed to eat rhubarb.

[Libby]

I don,t want to poisen anyone, so here comes another tip:-

After washing
Soak fruit and veg in 40ml of vinegar and 1litre of water for a few minutes to help remove pesticides.

[gunners71uk]

ive got some rhubarb andy about 6 crowns is that enough for pudds and chutney ,so if this stray dog eats some rhubarb leaves is it my fault or tough pooh.when sowing parsnip seeds etc i was going to put string on canes about a foot off the groundall the way round to stop dogs cats etc,someone else said cotton what do you think,
i have put a prickly bush by the post it looks like an ever green thing with smallish leaves and prickles it will serve two purposes one the dog and two in the summer people picking runner beans who shouldnt be will get a surprise. i have also tried the after shave and chucked some pepper down but now its rained next time down will do it again.thanks.

[Shelle]

should we use a special pot for boiling the rhubarb leaves (one we don't use for general cooking purposes)?

i was shocked to learn the rhubarb leaves were actually poisonous ... glad i have started reading up on things & increasing my knowledge first before trying to use them!

[Libby]

I wouldn,t think you,d need a special pot shelle, just whatever you have.
As long as you wash it well after, and give it a good rinse.

[Millymollymandy]

I've heard that you shouldn't put the leaves in your compost either because they are poisonous. Whether that just means the compost that goes on your veggie patch or fruit trees, or all compost, I don't know. Maybe it won't harm the flower bed. However we don't make different compost for different things!

[ina]

They can't be all that poisonous - as I mentioned before, my goats ate some last year and they are alive and well. We were told as kids that you mustn't eat raw rhubarb as "it is poisonous" - and here everybody eats raw rhubarb, dipped in sugar, and survives! My gardening book has a pretty picture of a compost heap with lots of huge rhubarb leaves on it. I've always put mine on the heap (if the goats didn't get them first), and have noticed no ill effect.

[Libby]

I ate it raw and dipped in sugar as a kid too. I,m still kicking
I cant see they,ll do any more harm in the compost heap than they would being sprayed as a pesticide.
If in doubt, leave them out !