Steve B wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Steve B wrote:
In another thread, there's mention of making a hot pepper
insecticide. Since it wouldn't kill the insects, but just get them
to leave the plant alone, does that make it an insecticide which
"cide" infers death?
Minor point, now to the major one.

When I lived in Louisiana, the bug capitol of the Universe, I
learned the following recipe for "bug repellent" from an old Cajun.

Get a plug of "Days Work" tobacco, if you can find it in your area.
If not, any leaf chewing tobacco will work. Day's Work was way
cheap back then (1970's) and it was sold everywhere.

Get some Dawn dishwashing solution.

Get some mouthwash.

Boil about one cubic inch of Day's work in a quart of water for
about ten minutes. Let cool.

Get a gallon milk jug.

Strain the quart of Day's Work tea into your gallon jug through a
panty hose and funnel to remove the things that will clog up your
empty Windex sprayer.
Add 1 tbsp. Dawn.

Add 6 fl. oz. of ANY mouthwash.

Add enough water to fill the gallon jug.

Put into an old Windex or any hand sprayer (guess you could make
gallons and use a big pump sprayer), and spray your plants.

When I had lots of aphids, you could actually see the aphids HOP OFF
THE PLANT within 30 seconds while I was standing there.

This stuff stays on the plant for a good while. If it is absorbed
into the plant, it is nothing that will harm you if you ingest it.

This is false.

It can be sprayed on the ground for cutworms, and things that crawl
up from the bottom. You can spray it on flowering plants, plants
with developing fruit. You can actually spray it on your lawn.

GOOD, CHEAP STUFF. It works! And it works reeeeeeeeal good.

Yer welcome.

Steve

This will work alright as you are spraying with nicotine which is
quite poisonous. Do not ingest this liquid, especially the
concentrate. Just because it comes from tobacco, arguably a natural
product, does
NOT mean that it is safe for humans or pets.

See he

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine_poisoning

"Nicotine poisoning describes the symptoms of the toxic effects of
consuming nicotine, which can potentially be deadly. Historically,
most cases of nicotine poisoning have been the result of use of
nicotine as an insecticide."

David

Would one mix that with vermouth, or creme de menthe? Maybe like an
old fashioned, a little simple syrup, some bourbon and bitters? Would
eight glasses be enough, or too much?

Steve

What are you saying here, are you still claiming that "nothing that will
harm you if you ingest it", or are you saying just don't drink it? How will
you get that message through to kids and pets?

There are other ways of ingesting toxins instead of drinking them. One of
the aspects of modern farming that makes it dangerous is the opportunity to
ingest poisons. Do you think all those farmers deliberately drink the stuff
they work with? Ingesting includes inhaling and absorbing through the skin,
which are both easy to do if you are spraying.

I think it would be better for all if you just agreed that you slipped up
and that people should take care (as they should when using any poison in
the garden) not to ingest nicotine in this form. That would include the
usual precautions to keep the stuff away from children.

David