If you have a garden, or even indoor plants, you know that pests like insects and fungi can interfere with even the best efforts to keep your plants happy and healthy. Time is critical, it is best to bring in
professional pest controllers. Have no fear, there are some great alternatives out there that you can try instead if you prefer a natural approach and have time to implement.
A good one to start with is neem oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) and has been used as a traditional pesticide for hundreds of years. Neem oil is non-toxic and biodegradable, and you won’t have to worry about the safety of your kids and pets if they like to spend time in your garden. Here’s how to use neem oil to protect your plants.
1. Find somewhere to buy neem oil
Some useful places to look are nurseries or online stores. Look for one that is listed as 100% pure, cold-pressed neem oil, as this won’t contain any additives. You don’t need to buy a large quantity – we’ll only be using two teaspoons per litre. Note that the instructions here are for 100% pure neem oil. If your neem oil has already been diluted, you will need to follow the instructions on the bottle to get the right mix for your garden.
2. Prepare your workspace
Find a suitable surface that you can use to mix up your ingredients. Clean and wipe down the surface to get it ready. Grab some rubber gloves to protect your hands, a clean teaspoon measure, a litre measuring jug, a spray bottle with at least one litre capacity, a funnel, a long spoon and some paper towels in case you make a bit of a mess.
3. Fill the jug with water
We’ll start by measuring a litre of warm water. Take your measuring jug and fill it up slowly with warm water from the tap, until the water reaches the one-litre mark. The water should be pleasant to the touch – not too hot.
4. Add the neem oil
Take the jug back to your workstation and put it down. Put on your gloves. Now, get your teaspoon measure and the neem oil. Open the bottle of neem oil and bring your eye-level down to the teaspoon measure. Pour the neem oil slowly and carefully into the teaspoon measure, until it reaches the surface. Then carefully bring the teaspoon of oil to the jug of warm water and tip it in. Repeat the process so you have added two teaspoons to the jug.
5. Add the liquid soap
Now we’ll add the final ingredient, which is the liquid soap. The soap acts as an emulsifier, to make the oil and water combine. Liquid castile soap or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent will work well here. Carefully measure out one teaspoon of liquid soap with the teaspoon measure and add it to the jug.
6. Stir your mixture
Using the long spoon, gently stir your mixture until the ingredients are combined. You should no longer be able to see any oil droplets on the surface of the mixture.
7. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle
Now you’re ready to pour the mixture into the spray bottle. We’ll use a funnel for this step, otherwise things can get messy. Take off the lid of the spray bottle and put the funnel securely into the opening. Make sure the bottle and funnel are stable. Then carefully pour the mixture from the jug into the spray bottle. Be careful not to over-fill the bottle. If you find that you have too much mixture to fit into the bottle, you can use a second spray bottle or simply discard the excess mixture down your drain. It’s non-toxic, remember?
8. Label the bottle
It’s a good idea to label the spray bottle, so that you remember what’s inside it the next time you open your cupboard.
9. Go find those plants
Ok, it’s time to spray! You have probably already identified some plants that need some extra protection. If not, now is a good time to find any plants that you may have seen a few insects or fungal patches on, or those that you would like to take special care of. The idea is to use the spray before the plants are damaged or infested, though, so don’t delay! Note that you shouldn’t use neem oil on seedlings, as they are more sensitive than older plants.
10. Wait until the sun goes down
Spraying your plants with neem oil in the middle of the day can give the leaves sunburn, so it’s best to wait until shortly after the sun goes down before applying the oil mixture. This will also give the oil a chance to dry overnight.
11. It’s time to spray
Once the sun has gone down and you’ve identified the plants you would like to treat, get your spray bottle and go outside. Use the spray bottle to coat the plants liberally with the spray. The idea is to cover the whole plant with the mixture to prevent infection. Don’t forget about the undersides of the leaves.
12. Store the bottle safely
And now you’re done! Store the neem oil solution safely with the rest of your chemicals and household cleaners, so that it won’t get into the hands of your kids, or the paws of your pets.
Keep an eye on your sprayed plants to get an idea of how often you need to spray them. A good guide is to start by spraying your plants every two weeks, but you can increase this to once a week if you notice that the insects start coming back in between sprays. Neem oil is a natural solution that’s good for your garden and not harmful to your family. Give it a try before adding a synthetic pesticide to your shopping cart.