Learn how to mix neem oil for plants to protect your houseplants or garden plants from insects! Several organic gardeners use neem oil as an organic insecticide spray. Neem oil is safe to use and won’t cause any harm to humans and animals. In today’s post, I will show you how to mix neem oil for plants. Making your own neem oil is fun and much cheaper than the ones available in stores. Remember that neem oil can do more harm than good if you don’t mix it properly. Without wasting much time, let us now learn how to mix neem oil for plants.
How To Mix Neem Oil For Plants?
In this section, I will teach you how to mix neem oil for plants. There are several commercial neem oil sprays found at local nurseries. But a homemade mixture is easy to make and is less potent. Gather the following items before you start.
- Cold-pressed neem oil
- Spray bottle
- Warm water
- Dish soap
You can follow these steps to know how to mix neem oil for plants.
- In a gallon of warm water add one to two tablespoons of neem oil.
- Then, add one to two tablespoons of mild dish soap to this mixture.
- Mix all the ingredients well together to emulsify the mixture.
- After a while, the mixture will look slightly cloudy and soapy.
- Transfer the mixture to a clean spray bottle.
- Shake the spray bottle well before spraying the mixture.
You can follow the same procedure to know how to mix neem oil for indoor plants. However, you can also add about 6 to 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. The combination of peppermint oil and dish soap deters insects! Similarly, the same steps can be used for how to mix neem oil for house plants.
You can keep on reading to know about neem oil for pants and how to mix neem oil for plants.
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Mix Neem Oil For Vegetable Plants
Neem oil is a vegetable oil derived from the neem tree Azadirachta indica. It contains an active ingredient “azadirachtin” which is a natural pesticide for organic gardening. You can make your own neem spray for vegetable plants. Follow the same step-by-step guide for how to mix neem oil for vegetable plants. Mix 2 tbsp neem oil into a gallon of warm water and add an emulsifier agent liquid dish detergent. Instead of dish detergent, you can also use silica as your mixing agent. You can use this same procedure for how to mix neem oil for garden plants.
Now, you must be wondering how to mix neem oil for tomato plants. A neem oil soak can protect your tomato plants against pests! For this soak, mix 1 teaspoon of raw neem oil with 1 quart of water, and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap. You can either pour this soak on the soil around the tomato plants or spray it on tomato plants.
How Much Neem Oil Per Liter Of Water?
5 ml or 1 teaspoon of neem oil is enough for one liter of warm water. The recommended dosage is 1:100, so mix 1 ml of oil with 100 ml of water. Thus, a few milliliters of neem oil per liter of water is enough to keep pests away from your plants! If you want to know how to mix pure neem oil for plants, follow this same process.
How To Use Neem Oil On Plants?
I assume that you have learned how to mix neem oil for plants from the previous section. There are several ways to apply neem oil to plants. Misting on your plants is the quickest way to apply neem oil in order to fight the pest. You can also wipe off your plant leaves with this mixture with a microfiber cloth or cotton ball. But this method will consume a lot of time depending on your plant size. Otherwise, you can dip a Q-tip in the neem oil mixture to remove spider mites from your plants.
Types Of Insects/Pests Neem Oil Kills
Learning how to mix neem oil spray for plants will help you to repel the following garden pests and infestations.
- Aphids
- Spider mites
- Whiteflies
- Houseplant scale
- Fungus gnats
- Thrips
- Mealybugs
- Black spot
- Nematodes
- Powdery mildew
Most gardeners also use neem oil in the garden to control Caterpillars, Beetles, Worms, and other plant-eating insects. It is better you spray this mixture on the plants in the evening hours when insects are least active!
Plants On Which To Use Neem Oil
It is very important to know which plants you can use neem oil after learning how to mix neem oil for plants. Neem oil is safe for almost all plants and vegetables. You can spray it on a wide range of crops, herbs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and ornamental plants. Make sure you are cautious while spraying neem oil on plants with delicate or wispy leaves. This includes arugula, lettuce, peas, and spinach, or else neem oil can cause foliage burns.
But what plants not to use neem oil on? You must avoid spraying neem oil on herbs such as basil, caraway, cilantro, dill, marjoram, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Avoid spraying it on newly transplanted or stressed plants.
Tips To Consider While Using Neem Oil On Plants
Now, I hope you’ve understood how to mix neem oil for plants. Pure, raw neem oil has a strong smell. Even though neem oil is safe, consider the following precautions to avoid any negative impacts.
- Neem oil can cause skin irritation, especially to your eyes and skin.
- Make sure you always wear gloves while applying neem oil on your tomato plants.
- Neem oil is slightly toxic to aquatic animals.
- Always test the neem oil mixture on one or two leaves before spraying it all over the plants. Spraying too much neem oil on plants can be harmful.
- It can be fatal to mammals or humans if they’re exposed to very high concentrations of undiluted neem oil.
- Ingestion of high doses can cause internal damage.
- Apply neem oil spray on a mild, cloudy day to avoid burning the leaves.
- Never use the spray in the rainy season or when rain is predicted.
Thus, remember that always use diluted neem oil on plants and around aquatic environments.
Can You Mix Neem Oil With Fertilizer?
Yes, you can mix neem oil with fertilizer to get rid of harmful nematodes. Nematodes or eelworms reduce the plant’s ability to take in water and nutrients. Simply mix neem oil with the fertilizer and use it in your garden. Or else you can also use a neem oil soak if required.
How To Apply Neem Oil To Soil?
After learning how to mix neem oil for plants, let’s learn to use this as a soil soak for plants! Neem oil soak is great where plants absorb it through their roots. Simply pour 2 to 3 cups of neem oil mixture around the roots of each plant. Repeat this again every 2 weeks to get rid of an existing infestation.
Remember that always test neem oil first by applying a tiny amount to the plant for 24 hours. This will help you ensure that your plant isn’t sensitive or allergic to the neem. Some carnivorous plants are intolerant to soap, so be careful while testing these plants.
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FAQ
What Is The Ratio For Mixing Neem Oil?
Mix 70% NEEM OIL at the rate of 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) per gallon of water. Thoroughly mix solution and spray all plant surfaces (including undersides of leaves) until completely wet. Frequently mix solution as you spray.
How Do You Mix 100% Neem Oil For Plants?
Use one tablespoon of neem oil and one teaspoon of liquid soap or silica. Mix thoroughly before you add into the bucket or pump sprayer. If you have sufficiently emulsified the oil, there should be no bubbles of oil forming at the surface.
What Is Ratio Mix Neem Oil To Water?
The recommended ratio for mixing neem oil for plants is usually between 0.6 and 1 teaspoon of neem oil per 32 fl oz of water. We recommend that you use the same amount of neem oil as soap so that all the ingredients are perfectly integrated.
How Much Neem Oil Do You Mix Per Gallon Of Water?
2 tbsp.
Using Neem Oil Concentrate 70% as a fungicide or insecticide: Mix 2 tbsp. per 1 gallon of water. Spray all plant surfaces including the undersides of leaves until completely wet
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Do I Need To Mix Neem Oil With Water?
Can You Use Too Much Neem Oil On Plants?
Using too much neem oil can cause leaves to burn if they are exposed to direct sunlight for a prolonged period. You should also avoid using neem oil on young or small plants, as it may be too strong for their roots and buds.
Conclusion
In the above post, I’ve discussed how to mix neem oil for plants in detail. Gardeners swear by this all-natural pest repellent and absolutely love it! Neem oil is safe on almost all plants including vegetables, fruits, herbs, and ornamentals. Making a neem oil spray at home is an easy task. Simply take one gallon of warm water, add 1-2 tablespoons of neem oil, and 1 tablespoon of liquid soap. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, transfer the mixture into a spray bottle, and then spray directly onto plant leaves. Thus, learning how to mix neem oil for plants can help you to eliminate a wide range of pests!
