Neem oil spray is a grower's best friend in the fight against fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and kills spider mites, fungus gnats, and other soft-bodied insects.
Neem oil pesticide is a natural pesticide that contains active ingredients azadirachtin, nimbin, picrin, and sialin. which effectively kills garden pests.
To make a neem oil solution, you need a spray bottle, a few drops of pure neem oil, and dishwashing liquid to bind water and the hydrophobic neem oil.
Just mix everything together and you now have a natural pesticide. But now you may wonder, "Can I use neem oil on edible plants such as herbs? Is it safe for me and my pets?"
The leaves should be fully covered and the target pest must come in contact to use neem oil effectively. But some plants don't like neem oil.
Neem oil can cause severe leaf tissue burns to edible plants like arugula, lettuce, peas, and spinach.
Herbs like cilantro, basil, caraway, oregano, dill, and parsley don't like neem oil as well. If these herbs are infected, using insecticidal soap instead is best.
The Environmental Protection Agency determined that neem oil had no obvious negative impacts on humans, pets, or other wild animals.
However, as neem oil insecticide kills garden pests, beneficial insects are no exception. So inspecting your plants before spraying in the early morning is good practice.
Click the link to learn how to make your DIY neem oil mixture with our recipe.