Linseed Oil as a Pesticide?

[CaptainCompostAL]

Does anyone know if pure linseed oil from certain local hardware stores, could be considered an organic pesticide?

(P.S. Pure linseed oil is made from a plant called flax....)

[Kathe Kitchens]

Hi Captain!
Linseed oil is an ingredient in a few home made pesticides recipes, non-toxic paints and is a natural oil from flax, as you state. However, its highest value seems to be in its health benefits as part of a healthy diet.

Wikipedia gives the following information:
Linseed oil is a yellowish drying oil derived from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum, Linaceae). It is obtained by pressing, followed by an optional stage of solvent extraction. Today most products labeled as "boiled linseed oil" are a combination of raw linseed oil, petroleum-based solvent and metallic dryers. The use of metallic dryers makes boiled linseed oil inedible. There are some products available that contain only heat-treated linseed oil, without exposure to oxygen. Heat treated linseed oil is thicker and dries very slowly. These are usually labeled as "polymerized" or "stand" oils, though some may still be labeled as boiled. :shock: So be careful in your buying.

Cold-pressed oil obtained without solvent extraction is marketed as flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is suitable for human consumption, if it is very fresh, refrigerated and unprocessed. Lots of good information on the benefits of flax oil as a dietary supplement.

And here's something else to think about if you're considering using in a broad spectrum manner: Rags dampened with boiled linseed oil are a fire hazard, because they provide a large surface area for oxidation of the oil. The oxidation is an exothermic reaction which accelerates as the rags get hotter. Such rags should be washed, soaked with water or incinerated to avoid unexpected spontaneous combustion. So you may have come up with more of a "hot" idea than you realized. :shock: :lol:

I'd say it's not a bad idea to mix it, as in the old soapy water & oil recipe grandma used to make, but not on its own.
Hope that helps! :D
Kathe

[CaptainCompostAL]

Wow! Thanks for the info. Very informative.

Happy Gardening!