How to Use Neem Oil As a Pesticide
Neem oil is pressed from the seed of the neem tree, which is native to eastern India and Burma. In these countries, neem oil has been used for medicinal purposes and as an insecticide for thousands of years. Neem oil is an antifeedant and insect repellent. It interferes with the hormones of feeding insects, causing the population to diminish by breaking their eating and breeding cycle. The advantage of using neem oil over traditional chemical pesticides is its non-toxicity to beneficial insects and humans. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Mix 1 liter of warm water and 1 liter of insecticidal detergent together in a large bucket using a paint stirrer.
-
2
Gradually add .5 ml of 100 percent pure neem oil to the solution. This is suitable for general purpose use in a residential garden. For more resilient insects, increase the concentration up to 2 percent (20 ml neem oil and 4 ml insecticidal soap diluted in 1 liter of water). Stir the mixture vigorously.
-
-
3
Pour the insecticide solution into a sprayer. Shake the sprayer regularly to avoid separation of the ingredients.
-
4
Spray the solution on the entire plant. Pay special attention to the undersides of the leaves.
-
5
Spray the soil around the roots of the plant. For sensitive plants, spray the neem oil solution in a small area and monitor the effects over the next two days.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use your premixed neem oil insecticide solution within eight hours.
As a preventative measure, spray plants with a 0.5 percent neem oil solution once every two weeks, preferably early in the morning or during the evening.
To fight an infestation, spray once a week until the problem disappears.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
