One way to combat pest problems in your garden is by using neem oil. This natural product derivative contains an active ingredient called azadirachtin, which acts as a natural pesticide. Using neem oil is pretty easy, offering a natural alternative for pest management that’s more environment-friendly. Nowadays, many available products contain neem oil for plant use.
What is Neem Oil?
Back in ancient times, when inorganic pesticides and fungicides were scarce, early gardeners resorted to natural remedies to fight off pests and diseases in their gardens. One of these is neem oil, a naturally occurring pesticide derived from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), an evergreen tree species native to India.
Neem oil contains an active component called azadirachtin, which is responsible for repelling pests. What it does is inhibit the feeding action of these pests with the goal of disrupting their growth and development.
Benefits of Using Neem Oil
One of the benefits of using neem oil on plants is its ability to kill insects and pests such as aphids, whiteflies, mites, thrips, and scales. While it’s very easy to access inorganic pesticides to kill them, it would still be nice to go for safer alternatives, like using organic remedies. Neem oil, being a natural product, is also safe to use around pets and humans, making it a good option for getting rid of pests in your houseplants.
Neem oil is cost-effective, and you can easily DIY a solution that you can use for pest control and management in your citrus.
How to Use Neem Oil
Follow these steps on how to create your neem oil solution and apply them to your citrus trees.
- Prepare the necessary materials, including concentrated neem oil, liquid soap, water, and a spray bottle.
- In a sprayer, fill in a gallon of water and add about 2 teaspoons of mild dishwashing liquid or detergent. This will act as an emulsifying agent so that the oil will combine with water.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons of concentrated neem oil (0.5%-1%) into the water and evenly mix the solution. The solution should have a yellow-white hue.
- Spray the solution into the different parts of the plant, including leaves, stems, and branches. Make sure to aim for full coverage of the surfaces and undersides.
- If used as a pest control, repeat application every 7 days, but if for preventive measure, re-apply every 14 days.
Neem Oil for Citrus Trees
Neem oil foliar sprays on dwarf citrus trees can repel pests and fungi. You can use it to treat existing infestations or as a preventive measure against these harmful organisms.
It is safe to apply it throughout the planting season up until the day you harvest your citrus fruits. It offers long-standing protection in all stages of the plant’s life cycle.
Some Important Tips on Neem Oil Use
- Always do a patch test on a few leaves first before applying the solution in full coverage.
- Apply the neem oil spray during dawn or dusk to prevent harming the pollinators.
- Don’t apply neem oil during times of extremely cold or hot temperatures to prevent plant injury.
FAQs
The best time to apply neem oil is early in the morning or during the evening when sunlight is no longer present. Plants sprayed with neem oil and exposed to the bright sun will have the tendency to get burned.
No. Neem oil is non-toxic and pet-friendly. You can use it on indoor plants even if you have cats and dogs.
No. An everyday application of neem oil can potentially harm your plants. It takes about 2 to 3 days for neem oil to take effect. Reapplication of neem oil should be every after seven or 14 days.
You can use neem oil for most plant species, including citrus trees. But you have to be careful, too, as one mistake in the application could harm your burn plant.
