Although our winter was insanely cold, we didn’t have a very hard freeze when it finally started to warm up here. Thus the bugs are out in force because they didn’t get killed off by the cold wave. I’ve often read about using neem oil on plants to combat aphids, scales, spider mites, white flies, locusts and other common pests. It’s also used as a fungicide and helps against powdery mildew. Neem oil insecticide can be used on vegetables, spices and herbs, fruit trees, berries, stone fruits and tropical fruits. Orchid growers also are known to love it. Bugs hate the taste and smell of the oil so the head over to your neighbor’s plants instead of yours.
Neem oil is extracted from the nut of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). It originally was grown in India and the oil and other parts of the tree have been used for centuries for medical purposes such as treating psoriasis and eczema, boosting the immune system, cleansing blood, restoring health to skin, hair and nails, and much more.
There are organic pesticide products using a 3-4.5% concentration of neem oil on the market (the active component of neem oil is a chemical called azadirachtin) but it’s not hard to make it yourself. Our biggest hurdle was finally just ordering the oil.
If you make your own neem oil pesticide, combine the ingredients fresh right before you use it because the neem oil will start to break down after a few days. And you will have to respray everything every few days and after it rains to keep unwanted pests from devouring your plants. But it is one of the only insecticides you can feel comfortable spraying on your fruits and vegetables until the day you harvest them that is certain not to harm you.
More on the wonders of neem oil will be coming soon as we start using it on Ayla to combat the ticks!
Neem Oil Pesticide and Fungicide Recipe
- 1 oz. neem oil
- 1 gallon water
- 1-2 teaspoons liquid dishwashing soap
Mix ingredients in a garden sprayer and shake to mix. Spray on trees and plants every few days as needed.
Interesting post Tiffany, I have never used Neem oil and wonder if I need to? Will need to keep it in mind as the growing season continues….might just be the answer!
Thanks for this interesting post, Tiffany! I’ve honestly never heard of it before but it sounds pretty good, especially as I’m always afraid of using common pesticides.
Where did you get the oil from?
Tiffany – thanks for the information. I’ll go and have a look over at 3..2..1.. 🙂
Great information- I can’t wait to read about how it works on Ayla- we’re looking into natural stuff to combat ticks on our two dogs.
Thanks to the author for the article! While using neem oil for controlling pests, the product needs a certification from Environmental Protection Agency, US. This certification proves that the product is safe spraying over the plants. Note: Check before buying.
Interesting. Never heard that neem could even be EPA approved. Since I live in Germany that’s never a topic that has come up. To be honest, we’ve sprayed organic neem from a regular essential oils company and never had any problems. What are the health risks of neem if it’s not EPA certified?
My husband I did a gardening project for ForeverYoung school and 10 acres of an organic garden in Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa. We used organic neem oil and this product was amazing and got rid of their insects. Use it about every 2 weeks or more often. Follow instructions in mixing with dish soap
You can buy this product at Sprouts Farmers Market stores.
Jesse and Pauline McDowell
Can you tell me brands of dish soap I can use for this, safely. I am new to gardening all together but a farm told me to spray neem on the soil once I plant my garlic then periodically for little critters such as mites. I bought the neem oil today and want to get the garlic in the ground soon. Thanks.
Any sort of liquid dish soap or even hand soap will work. It helps to deter the bugs and the oil is also sticky. Best of luck with your garden!!
You’re so wrong about this. You should NEVER use a detergent on plants. Yes, you’ll tell me that you’ve done it, and not had a problem. But it absolutely can, and does, cause problems. Detergents strip the waxy coat off of plants, leaving them vulnerable to bacterial and viral infections. Instead, use a true soap (google soap vs detergent) like Dr. Bronner’s when mixing. No more than 1.5 Tbsp of Neem per gallon of water, to 3/4 Tbsp soap per gallon. Mix it first in a small container of warm water, before adding it to the rest of the water that will be sprayed on the plant..
Don’t forget that when there are blossoms on the plants, you don’t want to spray because of the bees. So spray before they flower or after the flowers begin to wilt.
I read neem oil is “safe” for bees, ladybugs & other good insects. Do you know it will hard these type of animals?
Here is what I’ve read:
***Does spraying neem harm beneficial insect?
Please only use neem spray in the very early morning or late afternoon, or you may hurt beneficial insects. Neem oil is not toxic to them, but it can suffocate them if you spray them directly and the soap can hurt them too.
You should only spray neem at times when insects are not active. Once the spray has dried it is not harmful to good insects any more, only to sucking and chewing bugs.***
Thanks in advance
The soap is what will kill the bees and any other soft-bodied insect. Not the Neem.
Logically so!!!
I don’t really understand the use of soap while trying to make a “natural” insecticide. The soap will get absorbed into the soil and the produce you are growing. Might as well use commercial stuff.
Yes, this is a pesticide — which means it’s supposed to kill small creatures, both beneficial and not beneficial. But the effects do not last long and are not as harmful . The amount of soap you are using is minimal compared to the water and neem.
Soap only kills on contact. It will no harm the plant or have a residual effect. Neem is meant to harm whatever ingests it. Bees may or may not be it. Also, you never want to spray Neem during daylight hours, as it causes phytotoxicity immediately after application. (that means the plant tissue can be damaged by sunlight) Always spray this mixture after sundown. For the plants. Not the bees.
The soap acts as a surfactant, allowing the neem oil to dispurse/mix in to the water. I use Dr. Bonner’s Sal Suds.