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Does it have any deleterious effects on people?
My literature search has returned with several articles re the toxicity of copper salts used in agriculture, mostly spraying grapes, cucurbits and tomatoes. A few cases of 'vine-sprayers lung' have been reported. Copper is present in all foods and we each consume on average 1.2mg/day. It is excreted in the faeces. When copper is sprayed on to foliage it is not absorbed by the plant so won't appear in your spuds. When used as a varroa treatment it did not harm the bees! High levels in the soil can harm earthworms - but the foliage on my spuds is so dense that I doubt if much reaches the soil and the foliage is removed from the plot after harvesting.
I found the articles very difficult to understand despite having a degree in Natural Sciences! Try this one if you have an hour to spare.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7009614/
 
My literature search has returned with several articles re the toxicity of copper salts used in agriculture, mostly spraying grapes, cucurbits and tomatoes. A few cases of 'vine-sprayers lung' have been reported. Copper is present in all foods and we each consume on average 1.2mg/day. It is excreted in the faeces. When copper is sprayed on to foliage it is not absorbed by the plant so won't appear in your spuds. When used as a varroa treatment it did not harm the bees! High levels in the soil can harm earthworms - but the foliage on my spuds is so dense that I doubt if much reaches the soil and the foliage is removed from the plot after harvesting.
I found the articles very difficult to understand despite having a degree in Natural Sciences! Try this one if you have an hour to spare.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7009614/
Thank you, I will. Got as far as the end of the summary which seems to be include a worrying number of data gaps but I will persist later this evening while the Boss is watching the footie.
 
My literature search has returned with several articles re the toxicity of copper salts used in agriculture, mostly spraying grapes, cucurbits and tomatoes. A few cases of 'vine-sprayers lung' have been reported. Copper is present in all foods and we each consume on average 1.2mg/day. It is excreted in the faeces. When copper is sprayed on to foliage it is not absorbed by the plant so won't appear in your spuds. When used as a varroa treatment it did not harm the bees! High levels in the soil can harm earthworms - but the foliage on my spuds is so dense that I doubt if much reaches the soil and the foliage is removed from the plot after harvesting.
I found the articles very difficult to understand despite having a degree in Natural Sciences! Try this one if you have an hour to spare.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7009614/
Summary:
Nothing is conclusive, there are only information gaps between the data and conclusions regarding the original articles.
 
I noticed you said mulching rhubarb. Are you talking about the leaves ?
Is your rhubarb growing like mad this year ?
Mine has gone potty. I think it's the amount of rain as they are thirsty plants.
I mulch it in the autumn when it has died back ... that regenerates the soil around the roots and you get a better crop as a result.
 
Happy days.. Lot of fruits, lot of veggies.. We can't eat all, so we are sharing around.. People are happy.. Apple pie of new apples we cleaned the plates for a day..:drool5:
 
If you get tired of it ... I'll let you have my address .. post it off !
Unfortunately we are too far, but feel invited and always welcomed. Now is time to enjoy in fresh fruits and veggies in various forms.. We eat meat but also a lot of veggies..
 
The allotment is doing okay-ish, french beans are at the top, globe cucumbers are bushing and starting to climb, Brussels have huge dinner plate leaves, sweetcorn 18 inches, high onions are looking good, carrots a-plenty but two sowings of parsnips are nowhere to be seen! lots more including fruit seem to be acting normal. Now the sun is finally here things will get growing quicker.
 
I did most of the build work on the compost toilet out of the way behind the house, but last weekend I wanted to move it. Fortunately I'd designed it to fit the pallet forks that I have for the compact tractor. Unfortunately, whilst I could drive it around like that, I had little choice in the direction of travel owing to the weight on the forks near-perfectly counterbalancing the front wheels. I did try using the independent rear brakes to steer, but it was a bit hairy whilst wheelying the tractor.

So today I used a couple of wheelbarrow wheels, a pair of 4" fenceposts, a length of 20mm electrical conduit, some rope and some scrap from work to make: The Mark 1 Dunny Dragger!

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It actually even works, though I did stick the tractor in the lowest crawler gear and take nice wide arcs to go around corners, just to make sure it was stable. There was a scary moment when I wasn't looking and my father-in-law decided he would "help", by getting onto the tractor, whacking it into top (it has nine forward gears and three reverse) and then throwing the wheel over to go around a corner. In more than twenty years I've never sworn at him, but I came very close to losing it today.

James
 
At last my outdoor tomatoes have started to take off .. nearly a foot of growth this week and I have FLOWERS !! I'm nipping off the side shoots as well .. progress ...

Having run out of my own compost I turned this years bin and I have BLACK GOLD - only about a third of a cubic metre but it's cheaper than three bags of Westlands general purpose for £15 in B & M ... which I've had to resort to buying !

My potatoes are more like triffids - I just hope the tubers reflect the top hamper .. living in hope.

And the first Mullein is starting to flower (despite feeding some greedy caterpillars !).

My one and only Chillie plant that survived over winter (more of an experiment than for any reason) is starting to flower - needs potting on really.
 

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Tomatoes being cropped, peas nearly over and french beans just about to start. Blackcurrants all picked. Digging up spuds as we need them. Found this cucumber spider which glowed fluorescent green
 

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