Neem oil for plants: natural and effective against insects and parasites
Neem oil is an excellent remedy for your house plants, too. It can be very useful against pests and insects that spoil your plants and at the same time it is a completely natural solution that is not toxic for your environment. So no problem if you have children at home or if you have pets. If you love cats for example, you can't miss this video!
Neem oil: a vegetable pesticide
Neem oil is extracted from a tree, the Neem, of Indian origin for more than 5000 years, which can grow over 30 meters in height. It is found in subtropical areas such as Africa, India, the Philippines , and Central America. Since ancient times this plant known as Azadirachta Indica was used as a medicine. Neem oil is a natural pesticide, unique among many other chemical or natural products on sale, as the "natural" are usually not very effective and then often we go back to the chemical ones. Neem oil can be used in many ways, but our attention here will focus on its use in the agricultural sector. It is much more effective than other chemicals, but it also has the advantage of not being harmful. In fact, it is a vegetable oil. The smell is not exactly fantastic, but the important thing is that it is not toxic either for people, nor for pets, nor for the environment. If you want to deal with organic and biodynamic agriculture, this is the oil for you. In fact, it is a very special oil, it always produces the required effect and is able to eliminate all kinds of parasites and insects.
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"Azadirachtin A: the active ingredient in Neem oil
This oil contains substances called limonoids, of which Azadirachtin A is the main component. The limonoids block the development of insects at the initial stage, ie on young subjects at the beginning of their life cycle. The product acts as a growth inhibitor of the insects, which, due to the lack of synthesis of chitin and therefore without a new external envelope, are unable to survive.Adirachtin acts, in fact, on the larvae, blocking their evolution into an adult insect.Being the most sensitive larval stages; their death occurs at the moment of moulting, after ingestion or contact with the product. It acts as a repellent and limits any attraction even of insects and adult parasites. It remains in the sap in the plants and, therefore, its action lasts for about a week. Furthermore, it acts on reproduction, making female insects less fertile. Its properties are many. In fact, it also exerts its effectiveness on white disease or powdery mildew, a plant disease originating from a fungus. Organic Neem oil is a very effective remedy against many insects and parasites of fruit trees or garden plants, black aphids, whiteflies, scale insects, dipters, hymenoptera. orthoptera, nematodes, thrips such as frankiniella occidentalis, beetles, grasshoppers. And above all it is essential against citrus moths, Colorado potato beetle and gray apple aphid. It definitely removes fleas, ticks, snails and mosquitoes and can also be used as an anti-inflammatory on the skin in case of bites from these insects. On the other hand, it is not harmful to bees, industrious producers of honey, if it is not used in a too concentrated way.
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How to use Neem oil on plants
To make this oil more water-soluble, you can use Marseille soap, in warm water, to make it dissolve better, so that the liquid sprayed on leaves and other parts of the plant adheres well and has a greater effect thanks to a spray on the leaves and other parts of the plant. It is also possible to spray it on the ground to make it absorb by the roots. In this way it is absorbed throughout the plant, activating a global defense. It is good to spray the oil in the evening, after sunset, as under the sun's rays and with heat many of its properties decrease in effectiveness and therefore the desired results may not be obtained. However, these operations must be repeated for four consecutive evenings. Before being applied, the liquid must always be well shaken for a while in the container to emulsify the oil well with the water. This oil, in addition to warding off insects, greatly slows down their egg laying. Too much fertilizer often feeds the appearance of plant lice, that is aphids. It is the leaves that are particularly affected by aphids, which damage fruits and seeds of the plant and they also infect neighboring plants with their viruses.
Methods for using Neem oil in agriculture
There are many ways to use this oil in agriculture. One of the most common involves a ratio of 1 liter of Neem oil to 99 liters of water to be sprayed on the leaves, repeating the operation after about fifteen days. If there are still many insects, a more concentrated solution can be used. Neem oil can also be sprayed in a preventive way against parasite infestations. Another technique is to mix oil and ethyl alcohol with warm water to emulsify it better. The solution must be sprayed homogeneously from below, from the high and on the sides of the plant. Being an oily product, it will adhere well to the plant and this will increase its effectiveness. To mix large quantities you can leave the water outdoors in the sun all day; the Neem oil goes dissolved in a portion of that water with the emulsifier, and then add it to all the liquid. Neem oil, this excellent pesticide, is also accepted among the products that can be used in organic farming thanks to its natural extraction. It is not found on the market in Italian products, as it is obtained from an Asian plant; it is therefore an import product. Therefore, you must always make sure that it is completely organic and without other unexpected components. You can buy it online at a great price with relative guarantees of quality, 100% pure.
The thousand properties of Neem oil
Its use for physical well-being and for the health of the human organism is known all over the world and so are its many and incredible properties. In Indian culture it is dedicated to the goddess Neemari and is known as Arishta: it means tree that heals all diseases. Shajar-e-Mubarak, meaning blessed tree, is the name given to it by the Arabs. It is cold pressed from the seeds of the plant and is used in cosmetic products, for soaps based on essential oils and cosmetics. very useful for personal care, if used in correct doses. It is used for skin blemishes, acne, cutaneous mycosis, inflammations, rheumatic diseases and to reduce hair loss. Its healing and moisturizing effects for the skin and for the beauty of the hair are increasingly known and appreciated. It is often found in sunscreens, face masks, various types of lotions and hygiene products, and even in toothpastes. There is still no scientific evidence of its effectiveness in the medical field, but for a long time it has been used as a herbal medicine. In fact, it is believed to have medical properties for the treatment of ulcers, cardiovascular diseases and various types of skin problems. However, studies on its therapeutic validity in the treatment of these pathologies are still to be deepened. This oil increases the fertility of the land, without any damage to the environment: it can be handled without danger. It is biodegradable and non-toxic to mammals, birds, bees, earthworms and ladybugs, which are beneficial insects because they eliminate those harmful to plants, such as aphids and scale insects. Orchid growers use it precisely to combat scale insects.
Other details and peculiarities about an extraordinary oil
Neem oil can be used both in the garden of your home and in very large crops. Its price is affordable, as opposed to often very expensive chemical pesticides. Among the most common pests in vegetable gardens we have aphids and mites. Aphids, also known as "plant lice", suck the sap from young plants, damaging them considerably. Too much fertilizer often feeds the appearance of "plant lice". It is the leaves that are particularly affected by aphids, which damage fruits and seeds of the plant and also infect neighboring plants with their viruses. The latter are inextricably linked to the dust and are formed in conditions of little air and heat. Powdery mildew is caused by some parasitic fungi, colors the leaves white and gives their appearance is dusty. Snails can also damage entire crops, as they gnaw the leaves: therefore, it is good to remove them in time with Neem oil. This product is also useful for fleas and ticks of animals such as cows, sheep, pigs and pets and for the treatment of their paws, whose hooves must be immersed in this substance diluted in water. It can also be added to "pet bath water. The use of Neem oil in bio-agriculture allows us to reduce the use of other chemicals that are harmful to the environment and to our health.
It is advisable to pour drops of this oil in saucers, to ward off mosquitoes and prevent them from reproducing. The highly effective potassium soft soap is also used in bio-agriculture, which activates the natural defenses of plants against biotic and abiotic attacks. Furthermore, Neem slows down the nitrification of nitrogen, preventing its erosive action. Neem panels are a natural fertilizer, non-polluting, neither for the water nor for the surrounding environment. They have the same effect as gradual release chemical fertilizers; they are easy to use pre-dosed sticks. These panels must be inserted in the soil of plants both in pots and in gardens and also in fruit and bonsai plants. They guarantee an excellent development to the plants, giving them nourishment, making them healthier and brighter, strengthening them and protecting them from various external pathogens; they help and make flowering more abundant, counteract parasite eggs and facilitate the flow of chlorophyll. It is advisable to use them from March to June and from September to October during the vegetative periods. A natural pesticide is an excellent choice consistent with respect for nature, so important especially today, given the environmental degradation. On the other hand, this totally natural product is absolutely not polluting and, for this reason, it does not even damage the ground. Neem therefore acts as a fertilizer, sterilizer, repellent, egg-laying inhibitor, growth regulator. The Neem Fluid Revitalizer is a concentrated solution suitable for both plants and growing medium. In addition to its protective, revitalizing, antiparasitic and antifungal action, it balances the microflora of the soil and can also be applied immediately after transplanting. In short, Neem oil, so natural and so harmless, represents a valid alternative to the use of chemical products, which are dangerous for humans, animals and the environment. Its use is very varied and widespread. In gardens, greenhouses, vegetable gardens, fields, orchards and even on the balcony of the house you can use it safely on almost any plant.
