While it does have an organic source - turpentine is distilled from the resins and turpines of certain coniferous trees - the result is a volatile oil that will have a very similar effect when applied to plant tissues as spraying them with kerosene or gasoline. Just consider for a moment that turps is used as a solvent and paint thinner (as the two petroleum products can also be used).

Horticultural oils ARE frequently used to combat fungal issues and other plant diseases but they are either very heavily refined for that purpose, eliminating their volatility, the associated fire hazards and the corrosiveness, or they are plant-based, like Neem oil of vegetable oils and lack any of those negative features.

I guess I just thought of it as kind of like an essential oil. A very concentrated version of itself. I'm also wondering if how its processed would matter too. Yes it has been used as a paint thinner but oils can be used to break down things that water can't. I promise I'm not trying to argue to get a point across rather have a discussion to understand. :) People have been know to take kerosene internally also. I've just heard that turpentine can kill of the bad guys but leave the good guys alone so I was curious. People have also given it to animals to help kill off parasites. I don't want to use any kind of synthetic chemicals on my plants. My roses keep getting different things so I thought maybe this could be an option. I didn't want to just spray it on them but dilute it so it just gets a little.

Thank you for your replies. Like I said I'm not trying to bring up things to talk myself into using it but just have a discussion to see what people say and find out different points of view :)

P.S.- Turpentine is also used in Vick's ;)

I've just heard that turpentine can kill of the bad guys but leave the good guys alone so I was curious.

That is not true. If it kills anything, it will kill everything in that class. You can't have a fungicide that only kills blight while leaving the good fungi alone. You can't have a spray for beetle-killing that takes out Japanese beetles while leaving ladybugs alone.

With REAL oil of turpentine (not paint thinner) selling for way more than good scotch ... are you sure you want to do this?

People have died from taking kerosene internally. The mean oral lethal dose of turpentine for humans ranges from 15 to 150 mL.

P.S.- Turpentine is also used in Vick's ;)

Yes, as an inactive ingredient.

One of my girlfriend's received some flowers out of the blue , she said they were off our neighbour but I had my doubts as my ex was , as some would say, "promiscuous" others would just call her a slaaag. anyway, i doubted they were off our neighbour so I poured around half a pint of turpentine paint thinner in to the vase thinking they would be dead the next day , they actually thrived on it , they lasted a good week or so... She did ask what the smell was when she poured the water out 😂