On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 18:26:25 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:



I noticed on GW last evening that Monty Don used an Organic spray
which he said was based on rape seed oil. I have a bottle with a
similar label and all I could find on the label was "based on natural
fatty acids".
Bob Flowerdew once said on GQT that you should not use detergent based
washing up liquid. Pippa Greenwood said that as a child she used to
mix up Lux flakes for her father. I cannot find Lux in the
supermarkets now. I bought a bar of green Fairy soap with the
intention of grating some into water and using that as a spray. I
haven't tried it yet.

Pam in Bristol

Most seed oils (e.g. rapeseed, olive, sunflower, safflower etc)
contain what are technically described as 'fatty acids' (treating them
with caustic soda is how soap is made). AIUI these 'organic'
insecticides are little more than stable emulsions of one or several
oils in water, so they're all pretty much the same in that respect.
You could probably make your own from cooking oil of your choice,
water and a squirt of detergent, all whizzed up in a blender for a few
minutes. They may be OK for use outdoors, but don't be tempted to use
them either in a conservatory or indoors. You get a film of oil
everywhere, which takes much washing down to get rid of. BTDT :-(


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net