Privet Tea

Can anyone help?
A late uncle used to make "privet tea" by taking the young clippings after trimming his privets.

They were placed in a bucket, covered with boiling water and after cooling strained and used as a spray against aphids.

Unfortunately he is no longer with us to ask him about it but he did used to comment that you don't see greenfly on privet.

One person I asked suggested it may not be a good idea to use it on edible crops as privet does have poisonous properties.

Has anyone else heard or have experience of "privet tea".

 

Sorry - no experience of it - though am glad to have read to the end of yur post - and see that you're not planning on drinking the stuff! It is poisonous, and would be worth a shot on your non - edibles first!

 

I would suggest that, like nicotine spray, Privet tea should be left well alone. All parts of the plant are poisonous. David.

 

Thanks for your replies:
I had made some up last year and due to the initial negative comment I received it remained unused. Now thanks to the overwhelming vote "not to touch with a barge pole" it seems I just wasted my time. At least the neighbours were amused when they saw me and asked what I was doing. :rolleyes:
Keith