Like olive oil, neem oil comes in different grades and prices. Diglings high-grade pure neem oil is cold-pressed from seeds of the neem tree with a high level of the active compound, Azadirachtin (3785 ppm). If you have not had good results with other neem oils, try this one for its higher efficacy.
BENEFITS
- Effective organic control of insect predators and fungal diseases, especially when applied as a root drench.
- Emulsified for easy mixing – no need to mix with soap water.
- Powerful yet gentle even on seedlings.
- Economical – one 200 ml concentrated bottle makes 60 litres of solution.
- Easy to apply – as a root drench or foliar spray.
- Natural plant extract with organic sulfur, proteins, vitamins, glycerides and trace elements for improved plant health. Watch your plants green up and perk up within hours after applying!
HOW TO USE
As a foliar spray, dilute 1:300 (3 ml per litre water), and spray until leaves are well coated. Spray every 3 days after 6 p.m., especially after rain.
As a root drench, dilute 1:300 (3 ml in 1 litre of water) in a watering can and drench all over the roots as if you are watering the plant. As the plant grows, gradually increase the drenching amount while maintaining the same dilution ratio. Root drenching is my preferred method – see tips below.
NOTE
Not all neem oil is effective as a root drench. Ready-to-use neem oil sprays contain a different type of neem oil, and only work as sprays. Be sure to read the labels for instructions.
Young and tender plants may be sensitive to neem oil – apply once after 6 p.m. and observe plant response before applying again.
MINERAL ANALYSIS
Azadirachta indica seed cold-pressed oil 85%.
BUY COLD-PRESSED
NEEM OIL
RM 70 for 200 ml concentrate.
RM 130 for 500 ml concentrate.
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TIPS ON HOW TO USE
Instead of wrestling my body into contortionist poses to spray under the leaves, it’s easier to apply the neem oil as a root drench. For severe infestation, I may foliar spray in addition to root drench.
Soil drenching allows the plant to take up the active ingredient, Azadirachtin, via the roots and distribute it throughout the whole plant (systemic effect). When pests feed on Azadirachtin in the leaves, it inhibits their growth and suppresses their appetite. Azadirachtin controls 200 species of insect pests including aphids, caterpillars, fruit flies, leaf miners, thrips, as well as some fungal diseases.
Advantages of soil drenching vs. foliar spraying:
- Easier to apply – simply dilute in a watering can and drench all over the roots as if you are watering the plant.
- Systemic whole-plant uptake of the active ingredient, Azadirachtin.
- Neem oil sprayed on leaves gets washed off by rain and degrade in sunlight.
- Controls soil nematodes, which tomatoes are prone.
- Friendly to earthworms, bees and pets.
Whiteflies
If you grow tomatoes, eggplants or chillies, you may have noticed white fuzzy patches under the leaves. While they look like Christmas, these whiteflies can do a lot of damage by sucking the leaf sap, reducing photosynthesis, and carrying diseases to the host plant. For these reasons, it’s important to control the whitefly population because they are prolific breeders. Catch them early! For light infestation, I simply rub or blast them off with water. For heavy infestation, I reach for my neem oil. Instead of wrestling my body into contortionist poses to spray under the leaves, it’s easier to apply the neem oil as a root drench.
Caterpillars
Leafy stir-fry favourites like nai pak, pak choy and choy sum are prone to caterpillar damage when grown in an open environment. Putting a net over them is helpful, but I prefer to admire my veggies without a barrier. What I do is, once a week, I drench diluted cold-pressed neem oil all over the leaves and roots. This weekly routine has successfully kept caterpillars and other pests away.
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