Why you should be using Neem Oil

I was on another thread explaining how and why to use neem oil and thought it would be good to post the info here. Good luck and may you always be bug free.

By the way if most people used Neem they would not have bugs.

If it helped let me know.
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Looks long but you can read it in 4 minuets, it'll keep you bug free for life.[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]There is some really good information here on what you can do with neem and how and why you should use it often.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot](the green text at the end are just references.)[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]What is it? Neem Oil[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Neem oil comes from the pressed seed of the neem tree – Azadiracta indica Juss – to be exact. It’s native to eastern India and Burma and has been used for medicinal purposes and pest control in India for thousands of years. Claims are that the seeds, bark and leaves have quite a few anti’s covered.[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]antiseptic[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]antiviral[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]anti-inflammatory[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]anti-ulcer
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• [FONT=&quot]anti-fungal
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[FONT=&quot]…to name a few.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Is It Safe?[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Well neem products are used in medication and consumed by humans. So any exposure to neem while treating your plants does not pose a threat. There are no restrictions put in place by the EPA.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I spoke to a few growers that have been using neem oil in their “pest control” program and they are delighted with it. Not just from the safety aspect… but the control. They have found the neem oil to be effective as a repellant – insecticide – miticide and fungicide. It also functions as an antifeedant which discourages insects feeding patterns.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Insects would rather die than eat plants treated with neem oil.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Extracts from neem have shown incredible success with not only battling fungus problems but also many forms of root rot.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Extracts from the tree contain azadirachtin, a relatively safe and effective naturally occurring insecticide. Let me preface the following comments by reminding you that the terms "naturally occurring and/ or organic" do not universally mean safe. Pyrethrums, rotenone, and even the very dangerous nicotine are all organics that should be handled with great caution.

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[FONT=&quot]Uses of Neem
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[FONT=&quot]Neem[/FONT][FONT=&quot] extracts, on the other hand are used in a wide variety of cosmetics, as a topical treatment for minor wounds, to treat stomach ailments, as an insecticide in grain storage containers, and a whole host of other applications.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]How's it Work?
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[FONT=&quot] Neem works in many ways. It is effective both as a topical and a systemic. It is an antifeedant, an oviposition deterrent (anti-egg laying), a growth inhibitor, a mating disrupter, and a chemosterilizer. Azadirachtin closely mimics the hormone ecdysone which is necessary for reproduction in insects. When present, it takes the place of the real hormone and thus disrupts not only the feeding process, but the metamorphic transition as well. It interferes with the formation of chitin (insect "skin") and stops pupation in larvae, thus short-circuiting the insect life cycle. Tests have shown that azadirachtin is effective in some cases at concentrations as low as 1 ppm.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]How To Use It
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[FONT=&quot]Neem oil or extract is most often used in an aqueous (water) suspension as a foliar spray or soil drench. Commonly, it is diluted to about a .05% solution. A drop or two of dish soap (not detergent) helps keep the oil emulsified. The mixture is then applied as a mist to all leaf surfaces and as a soil drench to the root system. It should not be applied as a foliar spray on hot days or in bright sun as leaf burn may occur. Remember to agitate the container frequently as you apply and do not mix any more than you will use in one day. Neem breaks down rapidly in water and/ or sunlight.
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[FONT=&quot]What To Expect From Neem
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[FONT=&quot]Some users of insecticide need to be able to observe the instant results of their efforts in order to be convinced of the effectiveness of their choice. The application of neem derivatives does not provide this immediate gratification. There is virtually no knockdown (instant death) factor associated with its use. Insects ingesting neem usually take about 3 - 14 days to die. Its greatest benefit; however, is in preventing the occurrence of future generations. It is also interesting to note that in studies it was found that when doses were given, purposefully insufficient to cause death or complete disruption of the metamorphic cycle, up to 30 surviving generations showed virtually no resistance/immunity to normal lethal doses.
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[FONT=&quot] I have been using neem oil for about 15 years as both a preventative and fixative and have had no insect problems. It is effective for mites, whitefly, aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, caterpillars, beetles, mealy bugs, leaf miners, g-moth, and others. It seems to be fairly specific in attacking insects with piercing or rasping mouth parts. Since these are the pests that feed on plant tissues, they are our main target species. Unless beneficial s like spiders, lady bugs, certain wasps, etc. come in direct contact with spray, it does little to diminish their numbers.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Not all bugs are bad. Some are beneficial to plants because they eat the insects that feast on your plants.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]One of the many benefits of using neem oil insecticide is that it doesn't harm beneficial insects, such as lady bugs because they don't eat your plants. They'd rather make lunch out of aphids and other plant destroyers.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Of course, you don't want insects in your home. But if you move your plants outside for any length of time, you may expose your neem-treated plant to the good bugs. Don't worry -- they won't be harmed.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]SOURCES OF RELEVANT INFORMATION[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Helson, B.V. 1992. Naturally derived insecticides: Prospects for forestry use. Forestry Chronicle 68: 349-354.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Helson, B.V.; Lyons, D.B. 1999 Chemical and biorational control of the pine false webworm. pp. 17-22 in D.B. Lyons, G.C. Jones and T.A. Scarr, eds. Proceedings of a Workshop on the Pine False Webworm.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]CFS, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. 49p.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Helson, B.V.; de Groot, P.; McFarlane, J.W.; Zylstra, B.; Scarr, T. 1998. Leader and systemic applications of neem EC formulations for control of white pine weevil (Coleoptera: Curcolionidae) on jack pine and white pine. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Ont. 129: 107-113[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Helson, B.; Lyons, B.; de Groot, P. 1999. Evaluation of neem EC formulations containing azadirachtin for forest insect pest management in Canada. pp. 79-89 in RP [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Singh, RC Saxena (Eds.), Azadirachta indica A. Juss. International. Neem Conference, Gatton, Australia, Feb. 1996. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. PVT. Ltd. New Delhi.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Lyons, D.B.; Helson, B.V.; Jones, G.C.; McFarlane, J.W. 1998. Effectiveness of neem- and iflubenzuron-based insecticides for control of the pine false webworm, Acantholyda erythrocephala[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Ont. 129: 115-126[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Lyons, D.B.; Helson, B.V.; Jones, G.C.; McFarlane, J.W.; Scarr, T. 1996. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Systemic activity of neem seed extracts containing azadirachtin in pine foliage for control of the pine false webworm, Acantholyda[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]erythrocephala (Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Ont. 127: 45-55.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Wanner, K.W.; Helson, B.V.; Kostyk, B.C. 1997. Foliar and systemic applications of neem seed extract for control of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae), infesting black and white spruce seed orchards. Can. Ent. 129: 645-655.[/FONT]
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that sounds perfect!!

Where can I find this from by the way? I actually live in south east asia so shouldn't be hard to find right? just need to know where to ask for it

drug stores, health food stores, super markets

woodsmaneh! said:

drug stores, health food stores, super markets

Click to expand...

Perfect, a quick search online shows me its available in a lot of body care products, I assume this wont be fine as it will be mixed with other stuff? So am i in search of pure neem oil from a drug store basically?

If i use it mixed with my watering it wont give me any nasty taste to the bud? most of my pest issues are in the soil so thats why I ask

i use a 70% mix for fruit bearing trees its called ultra stop fruit tree 3-in-1 spray it was like 8-10 bucks for 16 oz. it says to use 2 tablespoons for a gallon so its gonna last awhile!!!!

Ebay has it really cheap, and it goes a long way. I've been using it for quite awhile, and have yet to see a spider mite. Keeps mold/fungus to a minimum, too.

I would check places that sell soil and gardening products, also health food stores.

If you use Neem start to finish than I would not use in the last 2 weeks as neem is systemic (means absorbed by the plant vs sitting on the plant) you can use it up to 7 days before harvest but I don't recommend it.

To use it with your water make sure to put a few drops of liquid dish detergent, Joy or something like that. It helps to break the neem up in the water so it gets distributed evenly. It is great for a soil drench and it will kill and keep soil pest from happening. Use it every week.

Sweet thats tommorrow planned for me anyway haha, theres a GNC health store round the corner gonna check it out. Will use it once or twice see how things go if it gets rid of the little pests then should i stop or just keep using it anyway every week?

use every week to 10 days on both the plant and soil, it is great for both. You can even rub the little lady's feet with it and she will do more than that for you. Keep out of your eyes as it stings a little but will not do any harm anywhere. Safe for pets, great for fleas.

sounds great, as long as it doesnt leave any oily residue on the plant im game for spraying it all over

the oil is absorbed by the plant that's what helps to protect it. That's why you stop 2 weeks before harvest so the plant can digest the neem. The concentration of oil to water is very low so no oily mess on your plant.

i think i got a huge bottle at walmart. if i remember correctly like 3 years ago

Heat and light will cause it to break down. It is cheap to replace it.

thx for the information! +rep
im wondering if there is any reason to use neem if my plants have no problems.
is neem benificial to healthy plants with no bugs?
my plants always looked to healthy and shiny after using neem in the past.
thx

I swear by this stuff. And I never ever used it past about 2 weeks into the flowering cycle. Mainly for fear of corrupting the flavor or smoke-ability of the final product.

Even without treating past the two week mark, I never had pest insects on my flowers. The plants seemed to do fine even then. Now I feel more comfortable running it longer if need be.

Cool