Elder leaves and soap

[BarleySugar]

Did anyone else note that on Victorian Farm she made her pesticide from Elder leaves and soap in hot water? She just seemed to mash it up, and used it against gooseberry sawfly.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page14.htm...20Insecticide: gives more information

[Eden]

yeah, I wonder how effective it is? Will have to try it out!

[gojiberry]

I think it must be one of those long term thoughts as there aren't any elder leaves about around here at this time of the year.

Ian

[kitchengardner]

Did anyone else note that on Victorian Farm she made her pesticide from Elder leaves and soap in hot water? She just seemed to mash it up, and used it against gooseberry sawfly.
Insect Treatments gives more information

It works ok but if you do try this wear gloves as it will irritate you skin quite badly once steeped. The active ingredients in all these old homemade pesticides are still nasty toxic chemicals (just produced by a plant rather than in a lab), something (we) organic gardeners tend to forget. It is also worth remembering that some of the receipes (e.g. rhubarb leaf tea) are poisonous if consumed so always thoroughly wash foodstuffs which have been sprayed with them. The only good news is they tend to be water soluble so do wash off, unlike many modern artifical pesticides.

Regards

Kitchen Gardener

[bluemoon]

I think it must be one of those long term thoughts as there aren't any elder leaves about around here at this time of the year.

Ian

That's OK though, coz there aren't that many Gooseberry sawflies around yet either.