I can only tell you of my experience with neem oil. I cannot recommend neem oil because our government has not approved its use on orchids or on any plants. When I refer to neem oil, I mean pure neem oil as pressed from the seeds of the neem tree. I have never used any product with neem oil in it. I don't know that it would be as safe as pure neem oil.
Where does neem oil come from? Originally it came from
India. The Indian natives have been using neem for about
4000 years as an internal remedy as well as an ingredient
in tooth paste, soap, shampoo, cosmetics and skin creams.
I have never used a product in the greenhouse whose effects were as efficient and long lasting as neem. Insecticides and fungicides that I had previously used were a short-term fix - about two weeks. The smell was offensive and lasted for days. But it all that was available to keep a clean, insect free greenhouse even if the fumes from most insecticides caused me to have allergic reactions.
Due to a long term illness, my greenhouse had become a disaster area. In January, as the phalaenopsis were spiking, the mealy bugs moved in by the thousands. About 75% of the mature plants had fire ants in the pot. Scale was rampant. We had snails and slugs so big they looked dangerous. Toxic sprays did not get rid of them completely.
The first time I used neem oil (1 oz. to 1 gallon of water + 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid), I sprayed every plant, bench, walkway and under every bench. In a few days there was a definite improvement. I waited 2 weeks and sprayed again. I kept a close eye on the plants, and found no mealy bugs or scale, and best of all the fire ants were gone. And no more slugs and snails.
I didn't spray
again for six months. I found a snail and a slug, no other
'live stock', but I decided to spray everything again.
One of the beauties of using neem oil is that you don't have
to wear protective clothing or special breathing equipment and
there are no sickening odors. Neem oil does have an odor, best
described as 'kind of like onion soup'. However, the odor
is not offensive or sickening, and only lingers for a short
time.
How does neem get rid of insects? Most insects die shortly after spraying. Those remaining become sterile and do not reproduce. I've heard a story of 2 desert locusts, 2 grape leaves and 2 bell jars. One grape leaf was sprayed with an insecticide, the other with neem. One locust and one grape leaf were put under each bell jar. The locust ate the toxic leaf and died. The other locust refused to eat the neem sprayed leaf and starved to death. From my experience the story could be true. I believe it is better if you can prevent the insect from eating the plant, than to let them eat the plant and then die. It takes years to lose the damaged leaves on most orchids. Flowers can be ruined before the critters will die from insecticide. I've not been disappointed with neem oil. I'm sure that many who read this will be sceptical because of the 'do everything' claim.
We have a cat that has grown up in the
greenhouse. Neem hasn't bothered her at all. Pansy greets all
comers and we certainly would not use anything that would
hurt her. We have also used neem on my son-in-law's dog, a
Shar-pei. The dog was biting and chewing her fur and making
sores and bald spots all over her coat. The veterinarian said
she had hair mites. There is a treatment for this - a series
of 6 dips at $65.00 per dip and only a 50% chance of a cure.
I suggested that he try using a 'neem rinse' after bathing the
dog, using 1 oz. to 1 gallon of water with 1 tablespoon liquid
dishwashing detergent. This treatment was
followed for three weeks. The dog has stopped chewing herself
and has grown back a full glossy coat.
It is also harmless on people. A lady in our orchid society has an allergy to mosquito bites. Living in Florida she had a problem working in her garden, fishing or taking an evening stroll. She had used spray repellents but they were difficult to use and not always satisfactory. She tried neem oil and now she swears by it.
When I use neem oil, I only mix the amount I will use within four hours. Neem is very biodegradable and will start to break down quickly. If it is kept in the refrigerator at approximately 40°F the shelf life is extended. As any organic oil, it will turn rancid if kept in the heat; how soon will depend on the storage temperature.
We have used pure neem oil on cattleyas, dendrobiums, phaleanopsis, oncidiums, vanillas, vandas, peristerias, etc. We have detected no damage to any of these plants.My daughter has used neem oil on all the plants in her yard, including bougainvillea, roses and gardenias, annuals and perennials, with no ill effects.
Have you tried neem oil? and let me know your experiences with it.
160 Cocoanut Ave.
Englewood, FL 34223 USA
Phone 941.276.9124
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