Grow Your Own Magazine

I vaguely remember hearing that spraying plants with a "tea" made from rolling tabacco will kill all sorts of bugs (particularly aphids) I haven't got round to trying it yet - anybody heard or tried this?

Cheers

Carl

I've never seen greenfly on Nicotiana plants! The old fellers yous't to smoke their pipes in their greenhouses to keep the plants bug free, also burn sulphur candles I believe. I've never tried any of this but I'm sure there must be something in it.

Hi Carl,

My Mum used this spray, she said it is very effective ( for mealy bugs and things like that ) but don't know the dose... and I haven't try spraying them to my plant.
But be carefull it might bring tobacco mosaic virus to your plant ( read about it sometimes ago ).
I (only) remember not to use it on strawberry, don't remember the other "no go" list. Try to google them first before you use it.

Cheers,
Momol

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

Thanks, that's very helpful, I'll buy some backy!

Tomatoes, chilli & pepper plants are all susceptible to tobacco mosaic virus, so possibly potatoes too as they are the same family. I know of one Chilli Farm where visitors who are smokers have to wear gloves to avoid the virus taking hold. So be careful!

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Isn't this one of those EU illegal things now? I know it's a deadly poison, crops up in crime novels every now and then!
Sue

Don't know any exact details Carl, but some relative of my husbands who worked for the railway, is said to have collected cigarette ends from the station (in the days when smoking was allowed) soaked them in water, and sprayed the result against greenfly and whitefly. Seems to have been deadly but whether it did more good than harm I don't know.
My father in law, who kept a great garden, always smoked his pipe in the greenhouse, and never seemed to have problems there.
Might not recommend it, but there does seem to be a basis in fact for the theory.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Nicotine is the active ingregient and yes it is a dealy poison.

I suspect that homemade pesticides are probably illegal.

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Pure nictotine is a deadly contact poison. It will kill you just by touching it. It is also even in small amounts carcinogeric, which is why it was banned a long time ago, before the EU was even heard of!

I wouldn't recommend home made nicotine spray: as the others have said it is toxic and you'll probably end up consuming quite a bit of it. I'd hate for you to end up on the news having poisoned the whole family.

Nicky

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Saoirse: Irish meaning Freedom (I think!)

Sorry guys, have to put my pesticide safety hat on and say don't do it!

Nicotine as an active ingredient is still available to professional growers but it a strictly controlled substance and is subject to the Poisons Rules 1982 and Poisons act 1972 - this effectively bans any non-professional from using these products because it is such a dangerous substance (just think what it does to smokers!)

The environmental profile of nicotine is dreadful, you don't want to go sloshing this around your greenhouses and gardens - it is toxic to aquatic organisms (avoid ponds, streams etc), dangerous to livestock (pets aswell as plant pests), dangerous to game, wild birds and animals, harmful to bees. It also has a harvest interval of 2 days for most crops.

Aside from the fact it is completely illegal to mix your own pesticide its also extremely dangerous so please dont. By all means go and smoke in your greenhouse - smoking isn't banned yet and may well have the same effect!

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Happy Gardening!

And here`s me chewing nicotine gum trying to get healthy,thats why the damn whitefly have been so bad,must start fagging it again

No, you're not supposed to make your own insecticides or pesticides - I think the EU would probably have a fit if you even used salt on slugs!!! Actually, does anyone know if they've made it illegal to brew your own nettle or comfrey tea to use as fertiliser yet???

Try getting the whitefly to chew/suck the gum

You'll need a licence to brew a pot of Darjeeling or Earl Grey before long!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

I smoke like a chimney & there's no flies on me!

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I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
W. C. Fields

A home made nicotine spray would definitely be illegal - not to mention risky.

And yes rustylady, nettle or comfrey 'tea' is also (strictly speaking) banned under the EU regulations - I suspect even upending your teapot on the flower beds is a no-no!

We still write about such things (not the nicotine, obviously) in the gardening press though - I think it's more the spirit of the law that matters here, rather than the letter....

Last year a seed company was offering tobacco seeds which they recommended growing for their pesticide making properties rather than for smoking. I notice that this year they don't offer these seeds at all.