Elder Leaf Insectide for Gooseberries

In an excerpt from BBC's Victorian Farm, Ruth Goodman prepares a natural insecticide using the leaves of the Elder (Sambucus nigra) and soap. The leaves, twigs, branches, seeds, and roots of Sambucus plants can contain a cyanide-inducing glycoside (a glycoside which gives rise to cyanide as the metabolism processes it). Ingesting a sufficient quantity of cyanide-inducing glycosides can cause a toxic buildup of cyanide in the body. Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a small deciduous tree, native to the UK and in much of Europe. It grows in woodland, scrub, hedgerows and on wasteland, often near rabbit warrens or badger setts, where the animals distribute the seed via their droppings. Mature trees grow to a height of around 15m and can live for 60 years. Elder is characterised by its short trunk (bole), and grey-brown, corky, furrowed bark. The leaves are pinnate (resembling a feather), with five to seven oval and toothed leaflets. Elders are hermaphrodite, meaning both the male and female reproductive parts are contained within the same flower. Flowers are borne on large, flat, umbels, 10-30cm across. Individual flowers are creamy coloured, highly scented, and have five petals. After pollination by insects, each flower develops into a small, purple-black, sour berry, which ripens from late-summer to autumn. It is thought the name elder comes the Anglo-saxon 'aeld', meaning fire, because the hollow stems were used as bellows to blow air into the centre of a fire. Elder wood is hard and yellow-white. Mature wood is used for whittling and carving, while smaller stems can be hollowed out to make craft items. The flowers and berries are mildly poisonous, so should be cooked before eating. The leaves are also poisonous. The flowers are often used to make wine, cordial or tea, or fried to make fritters. The vitamin-c-rich berries are often used to make preserves and wine, and can be baked in a pie with blackberries. They are also used to make natural dyes. Sawflies are a group of largely phytophagous (herbivorous) insects. Sawfly is the common name for insects belonging to suborder Symphyta of the order Hymenoptera. Sawflies are distinguishable from most other hymenopterans by the broad connection between the abdomen and the thorax, and by their caterpillar-like larvae. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay their eggs. Large populations of certain sawfly species can cause substantial economic damage to forests and cultivated plants. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/learn/british-trees/native-trees/elder/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawfly