Organic Pesticide Neem

Neem is an Effective and Safe Organic Pesticide & Fungicide!

Do you have plants in your home?  Do you grow your own vegetables?  If so, you’ll probably need to control pests and diseases on those plants.

We have a wide range of pesticides and fungicides available today; they are very effective, and do exactly what they advertise.

However, many of them contain potent chemicals, and I prefer to reduce the amount of chemicals in my home.

If you do too, you might want to consider Neem as an organic pesticide and fungicide.

What is Neem?

Neem comes from the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica), which originated in India.  I’m really lucky, because it grows wild on the tiny tropical island where I live.  So I can pick then soak the leaves in water and then use the strained liquid as a spray organic pesticide.  For me, it’s free, and I’m delighted!

However, I didn’t get it right first time – more on that later……

Luckily, Neem is also very easy to buy, and I think it’s quite reasonably priced, too.  Neem is normally sold in the form of Neem Oil, which is the oil pressed from the seeds of the Neem tree.

Neem has been used for several hundred years – not just to control pests on crops but also, interestingly, for many medical ailments too.  But it’s only in the last few years that it has become better known worldwide.

Neem Works!

Neem has undergone extensive testing and is shown to be an effective organic pesticide and fungicide.  Conveniently, it works on both indoor and outdoor plants.  It’s now widely used in greenhouses as an organic pesticide and fungicide.

How Does Neem Work?

Neem is an amazing plant, because it can be used as both a pesticide (to control insects) and also as a fungicide (to control diseases)!  Its active ingredient is azadireachtin which causes insects to stop feeding and stop laying eggs – good news for our plants!

And it bio-degrades in a couple of weeks when it’s exposed to sunlight.

What Bugs and Diseases can Neem Protect Against?

Neem can solve problems with most of the common bugs, such as aphids, whitefly, mealybugs and fungus gnats.

As a fungicide, Neem won’t get rid of disease already on the plant, but will stop it from spreading.  It will control black spot, fungus and powdery mildew.

How to Buy Neem Organic Pesticide

There are 3 main ways to buy Neem Oil, and all are quite easily available.

1. 1. 100%:-  My favourite is the 100% pure Neem oil.  It has nothing added so you can be sure it’s a fully organic pesticide.    You’ll need to dilute it with water to be able to spray it.  It’s very reasonably priced and lasts quite a while because it’s concentrated.
   2. 70%:–  Next up would be any concentrated Neem Oil.  Many of them have other substances added (e.g. 70% Neem Oil), so read the ingredients label to see what’s been included.  The advantage to the concentrated oil is that it’s cheaper than the ready-mixed, because you’re not paying to transport it ready-mixed with water so it’s lighter.
   3. Ready-Mix:–  And for maximum convenience, you can buy Neem Oil ready-mixed in a convenient plastic spray bottle and you don’t have to work anything out.  Again, this mixture may have other ingredients added.

(Amazon sells a large variety of Neem products – click here to view them).

How to Mix and Store Neem Organic Pesticide and Fungicide

As with most products, follow the instructions on the bottle.    If you don’t have instructions, the general rule is approximately 1oz of Neem Oil concentrate in 1 gallon of water / 30ml to 4 litres water.  If you’re spraying regularly (i.e. maintenance), you can make a weaker solution.

Tip:  Mix only what you need.  Neem lasts longer in its concentrated form.

Store Neem concentrate at 40 degrees F / 4C in low light for best results

Spraying Neem Organic Pesticide and Fungicide

Normally when you spray non organic pesticide, you need to wear protective clothing and shoes.  With Neem you don’t have to!  Neem is safe to spray.

(The only suggestion I would make is to possibly wear gloves if you are sensitive to the smell of Neem.  Not everyone smells Neem, and it also depends on which Neem product you buy.   Gloves should stop the smell from perhaps getting into your hands).

Important Tip:  Make sure you spray not only the tops of the leaves, but also the undersides – that’s where many bugs hide.  Also spray the stems for the same reason, and finally, spray the surface of the soil too, as that’s sometimes where eggs are laid.

To use Neem as an organic fungicide, consider adding a teaspoon or two of baking soda to the spray.

There is some anecdotal evidence that Neem acts as a pesticide to bees also.  Bees are beneficial insects, so the general advice is not to spray Neem (and definitely not any other non organic pesticide) if bees are flying in your area.

Other Tips for Neem Organic Pesticide & Fungicide (Or:  The stuff I wish I’d known!).

1.  Some people have said leaves were burnt when they sprayed Neem.  This could be if the mix was too concentrated, or it may be a result of other ingredients, but if you’re concerned, then simply spray in the early morning or in the evening.

Here’s the main tip though:

2.  Neem works best when it’s sprayed regularly.

3.  It does not kill bugs immediately.

Why do I wish I’d known that?

I had really enjoyed my first few harvests of organic tomatoes – they smelled so good, and tasted even better!  But by the time I noticed the powdery mildew on the tomato leaves, it was already well advanced.

Spraying Neem helped a little, but not enough. I lost most of my tomato plants to powdery mildew.

I hadn’t noticed it in time, and I hadn’t used proper control.

Reflecting ruefully afterwards, I realised that I needed to take more care.

Farmers can’t afford to take chances with their crops, so they spray insecticides and fungicides before any problems start.  It’s much easier to prevent than to cure in this case.

I should have been spraying Neem before I had problems with powdery mildew.

And I should have checked for signs of problems regularly.

It actually isn’t as difficult as I first thought.  I’ve just built it into my routine, in the same way as watering my plants is a routine.  I normally have a little more time at weekends, so each weekend I spray Neem, and check for bugs, and simply water as normal during the week.

In the meantime while I wait for new plants to grow, I’m eating store-bought tomatoes – they don’t taste half as good!

Do you use pesticides?  Is so, what’s your favourite, and why?  Tell me your success stories!

Photo credit: discoverneem.com