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Flexy123
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- Feb 19, 2016
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The reason why some folks *probably* didn't have success with Neem (or Karanja) based products is that they DON'T USE THEM PROPERLY.
* Almost all Neem/Karanja products, whether it's "pure oils" or ready-made insecticides like Aza/max/trol (or the hundreds of similar Neem/Azadiractin based products) are *EMULSIFIABLE*
That means that you cannot just mix them in water, especially not in hard, tap water.
What you need to do is make an emulsion (to mix the oil in), you do this preferably with insecticidal soap ("potassium soap"), not dishwashing liquid and for sure not hand-soap. (Not everything that says "soap" on the package actually IS soap, by the way). Use luke-warm bottled water for that. (If you use hard tap water you will have difficulties getting the soap to emulsify properly. My tap water is so hard I get flakes, so the soap wont even lather right). Softer water is also better because you will see the soft water will "stick" to the leaves MUCH better while hard water doesn't)
After you have your emulsion, add the Neem/Karanja whatever oil according to instructions, most of the time 1-1.5ml per L emulsion/water. Most vendors actually say that you should also ph your solution to 4-6. (If you make an emulsion for Neem from soap it will have a sky-high ph like 10-11. So, finally add ph down or lemon juice until ph is about 5).
So, the proper procedure:
Soft/bottled water --> emulsion with some insecticidal (potassium) soap --> add Neem --> ph to 4-6
THEN you have a proper emulsion w/ Neem/Karanja and can spray.
And while you spray, shake and agitate your sprayer and don't let it settle.
It's best to spray at low light, so either early morning or in the evening. Not just because it would burn the plants in direct sun, also because Neem/Karanja is photosensitive.
If you have a massive pest problem (mites etc.) repeat in 3 days..otherwise repeat every two weeks.
And yes I made the same rookie mistakes, getting Aza-XYZ product, mix with tap water...and then spray. Obviously this is hardly effective. You need to do it right.
**
And yes (old thread, I know), Aza-XYZ/Neem is not a "kill on contact", it's a growth inhibitor. But it HAS its uses, of course. I just got done spraying and literally hosing off my mite infected plants...so even if I hosed all of them down and killed them with insecticidal soap, you want something to PREVENT THEM FROM COMING BACK. And this is where the Neem stuff comes in. As the one guy mentioned, hey, maybe you oversaw that tiny egg there while killing and spraying. Give it a week, max, and your mites will be back. That's why you want Aza-XYZ/Neem, also as a preventive measure.
** And this is why you should also have insecticidal soap: a) for killing them on contact when you spray down your plants (use a good garden pressure sprayer for that, no lame hand pump) AND b) for the emulsion for your Neem oil. It's the perfect combo! And the best: Totally natural, non-toxic etc. and the potassium soap actually turns to fertilizer (potash), so it's actually beneficial for your plants.
* Almost all Neem/Karanja products, whether it's "pure oils" or ready-made insecticides like Aza/max/trol (or the hundreds of similar Neem/Azadiractin based products) are *EMULSIFIABLE*
That means that you cannot just mix them in water, especially not in hard, tap water.
What you need to do is make an emulsion (to mix the oil in), you do this preferably with insecticidal soap ("potassium soap"), not dishwashing liquid and for sure not hand-soap. (Not everything that says "soap" on the package actually IS soap, by the way). Use luke-warm bottled water for that. (If you use hard tap water you will have difficulties getting the soap to emulsify properly. My tap water is so hard I get flakes, so the soap wont even lather right). Softer water is also better because you will see the soft water will "stick" to the leaves MUCH better while hard water doesn't)
After you have your emulsion, add the Neem/Karanja whatever oil according to instructions, most of the time 1-1.5ml per L emulsion/water. Most vendors actually say that you should also ph your solution to 4-6. (If you make an emulsion for Neem from soap it will have a sky-high ph like 10-11. So, finally add ph down or lemon juice until ph is about 5).
So, the proper procedure:
Soft/bottled water --> emulsion with some insecticidal (potassium) soap --> add Neem --> ph to 4-6
THEN you have a proper emulsion w/ Neem/Karanja and can spray.
And while you spray, shake and agitate your sprayer and don't let it settle.
It's best to spray at low light, so either early morning or in the evening. Not just because it would burn the plants in direct sun, also because Neem/Karanja is photosensitive.
If you have a massive pest problem (mites etc.) repeat in 3 days..otherwise repeat every two weeks.
And yes I made the same rookie mistakes, getting Aza-XYZ product, mix with tap water...and then spray. Obviously this is hardly effective. You need to do it right.
**
And yes (old thread, I know), Aza-XYZ/Neem is not a "kill on contact", it's a growth inhibitor. But it HAS its uses, of course. I just got done spraying and literally hosing off my mite infected plants...so even if I hosed all of them down and killed them with insecticidal soap, you want something to PREVENT THEM FROM COMING BACK. And this is where the Neem stuff comes in. As the one guy mentioned, hey, maybe you oversaw that tiny egg there while killing and spraying. Give it a week, max, and your mites will be back. That's why you want Aza-XYZ/Neem, also as a preventive measure.
** And this is why you should also have insecticidal soap: a) for killing them on contact when you spray down your plants (use a good garden pressure sprayer for that, no lame hand pump) AND b) for the emulsion for your Neem oil. It's the perfect combo! And the best: Totally natural, non-toxic etc. and the potassium soap actually turns to fertilizer (potash), so it's actually beneficial for your plants.
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