Neem oil spray

by Nirmala Srinivasan
(Bangalore, Karnataka, India)

I have pure neem oil. How do I prepare a folial spray with it to control mealy bugs, aphids and leaf-cutting insects?

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Nirmala,

Make the following neem pesticide recipe for killing the bad insects. Neem is totally safe for bees, as they are not chewing insects. Although you probably know by know that neem has a very pungent smell, but not so strong that it is unpleasant to work with.

Neem Insecticide and Pesticide Spray Recipe

1 teaspoon pure neem oil
1 small squirt of dishwashing soap
1 quart (liter) of warm water

Mix the soap with the warm water and then add the neem oil. The soft soap acts as a wetting agent so that the neem sticks to the plants and leaves that you are spraying.

You will need to spray once a week. As you know, neem interrupts the sexual reproductive cycle of the insects, therefore you need to spray weekly, until the insect problem clears, and if it rains, you will need to spray again directly after the rain.

Don't keep the spray for more than a day, as the neem oil properties will begin to break down and then your insecticide will no longer be as effective.

All the best!