Neem Oil Insecticide

Neem oil as an insecticide has been used in India for hundreds of years. Its benefits today are gaining popularity as a natural, safe and effective insecticide. So, it is used in organic farming. It is inexpensive and makes an excellent insecticide. Also, it is safe for humans and animals, as many people tend to take it internally as a herbal medicine.

Neem tree has many uses. Its bark and leaves have many properties. It is antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, antifungal, etc. With these many useful medicinal properties, neem finds its way in many home remedies, herbal medicines, and many medical products.

What neem oil does as an insecticide is that it disrupts the insects hormonal balance, so they die before they can molt to the next life stage. After eating leaves treated with neem oil the pets die, while some of the pests get repelled due to the strong smell of the oil. 

It has been used to control many pests like aphids, whitefly, moth larvae, scale, Japanese beetles, and spider mites. Because, neem oil can be used to get rid of mites, which are not insects but related to bugs like ticks and spiders, certain studies show that it is also an effective miticide.

When it is treated with alcohol, the azadirachtin and related substances separate from the oil and the remaining oil without the azadirachtin is called clarified hydrophobic extract of neem oil. An insecticide spray with clarified hydrophobic extract is used as a fungicide against rust, mildew, leaf spot, black spot, scab, anthracnose, blight and botrytis.

You can find this oil in many health stores. However, if you can't find it at a health store, then you can buy a bottle of the oil at online stores. Make sure you buy a good organic quality. Also, check if it has been diluted to what amounts.

To use it as a pesticide - in a large container add two quarts of warm water and mix half teaspoon of a mild liquid soap and then add half ounce of neem oil. Then mix everything properly. Then pour it into a clean spray bottle.

You can increase the concentration of the oil in this recipe by double, however you need to use it within 8 hours, before it loses its potency. To use neem oil spray, use the solution all over the plant, including the leaves, stems, even the soil can be saturated with it.

Make sure you remember to spray the underside of the leaves too. Always spray early in the morning or early in the evening to avoid scaring off the good bugs which are scorching the plant in the hot sun. Also, keep spraying more than once a week if it rains.

So, use the given tips to make an insecticide spray, and use it properly to cover the complete plant and saturate the soil, to get rid of any pests attacking the plants.