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Black Fly
Rhubarb contains oxalic acid. The leaves have a greater concentration. It is the oxalic acid that makes them poisonous. A useful insecticide can be made from the leaves of Rhubarb.
Take some leaves and cut them into strips, place them in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Once cooled strain and add a little liquid detergent. The soap acts as a surfactant and helps the liquid stick to the leaves of what you will be spraying. The resulting brew makes a good spray to use against aphids.
One word of warning though. It does not smell very nice when it is being made so open the kitcen windows and close the kitchen door.
Hope this is of some use, it works for me. I use it on the veg patch and in the rest of the garden. Pity about the smell but it's only during the making of it. Once cooled it is not too bad.
Rhubarb contains oxalic acid. The leaves have a greater concentration. It is the oxalic acid that makes them poisonous. A useful insecticide can be made from the leaves of Rhubarb.
Take some leaves and cut them into strips, place them in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Once cooled strain and add a little liquid detergent. The soap acts as a surfactant and helps the liquid stick to the leaves of what you will be spraying. The resulting brew makes a good spray to use against aphids.
One word of warning though. It does not smell very nice when it is being made so open the kitcen windows and close the kitchen door.
Hope this is of some use, it works for me. I use it on the veg patch and in the rest of the garden. Pity about the smell but it's only during the making of it. Once cooled it is not too bad.
... Put some semolina down today everywhere we saw ants - hope that will work. One question though - these exploding queens - from how far away can you hear the bang? 
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