I use aloe vera juice and yucca extract. Necessary is a weird word. I like wetting agents to reduce soil surface tension in order to more evenly wet my soil Necessary no. Useful? Absolutely.
What about Dr. Bronners soap? It's made from hemp seed and I use it with great results for my foliar sprays. I would think the peppermint might help with pests as well. Does it sound safe or has anyone used this?