On 18/05/15 15:08, Wilkes, Andy wrote:
On 17/05/2015 20:43, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 17 May 2015 20:10:23 +0100, Jeff Layman
wrote:


You could always try the original paleonicotinoid by soaking some old
ciggies in water and spraying that. Or if they are too expensive, a few
seeds of Nicotiana tabacum should supply you with enough leaves to do
all your plants.

Just don't mention it to elf'n'safety...

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_4884401_ma...secticide.html


Interesting. I buy nicotine solution for ecigarettes. Not particularly
cheap but not too bad. The one I get comes in 72mg per ml (in a
propylene glycol or vegetable glycerine base). This isn't the strength
used in the final liquid - that is usually reduced to between 5 and 36
ml depending on choice/nicotine addiction by adding flavouring and more
pg/vg ).

Any idea what sort of concentrations should be in an imaginary spray?

Not of course that I'm going to do it - purely hypothetical.

A very old book I have (1935) on use of various insecticides in
greenhouses gives a concentration of 1 oz of 98% nicotine to 12 gallons
of water.

The trouble is that unlike modern insecticides, those from 80 years ago
are deadly to us in a very short time. Screw up and you /don't/ get a
second chance. You may find it interesting that the book recommends
glasshouse fumigation by using cyanide! That's bad enough, but the
method would give kittens to even those who care little about
elf'n'safety. Basically, you put a jar of conc sulphuric acid in the
middle of the greenhouse, and drop solid potassium cyanide in it. Then
run for the door, making sure you don't trip on the way out!

--

Jeff