How To Make DIY Neem Oil Spray For Your Garden

Neem oil is a natural solution to get rid of a variety of garden pests that affect both indoor and outdoor plants. Neem oil must, however, be used properly because if not applied properly, it may harm some plants.

Neem oil sprays are available in shops and stores, however, they might not be as strong and efficient as homemade ones. But here is a simple and affordable guide to making neem oil sprays in the comfort of your home and applying efficient neem spray oils to ensure the health of your plants.

Neem is widely used in personal care products and offers therapeutic benefits in addition to being a natural and gentle pesticide.

How neem oil is obtained

Neem oil is obtained from the neem tree’s seeds and leaves. The extracted oil is diluted with water and sprayed on the plant foliage. The neem oil acts as a pesticide in that it treats the plant’s diseases and destroys pests such as aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs, and leafhoppers or spider mites on your plants, the extracted oil is diluted with water and sprayed to plant foliage.

Equipment

To make neem oil spray, you will need; 

Mist Bottle

Gloves

Pestle and mortar 9to crush the leaves and seeds)

Material

2 spoonfuls of home-pressed neem oil

4liters of water

2 tablespoons of gentle detergent

 - You can always adjust the quantities whenever necessary.

All plant types, including houseplants, herbs, flowering plants, and vegetables, respond favorably to neem oil in general. However, it's important to test neem oil on a single leaf before using it on your plants for the first time. After applying the mixture for a while, check your plants for any symptoms of stress. Neem oil should normally not be applied to young plants or transplants because they are at a vulnerable stage of growth.

How to prepare neem oil spray

Water and oil don't mix well, to say the least. Similarly, you can't just combine everything at once. Before the neem oil mixture is prepared to be sprayed on your plants, it must completely emulsify. Here is a step-by-step tutorial for making DIY neem oil.

Mix the soap and water together- To properly combine neem oil with water, use an emulsifier, such as mild dish soap. Combine four liters of warm water with 1-2 spoons of dish soap and stir well in your garden sprayer.

Add the neem oil - Neem oil is available in supermarkets or can be made by pressing neem seeds and leaves. Add 2 spoons of neem oil to the detergent and water mixture after carefully stirring.

Spray the neem oil - Add the prepared solution to a garden sprayer once it has been thoroughly blended. Spray the mixture all over the plant until the leaves are dripping with moisture. Put on goals to avoid any contact with the homemade pesticide.

Reapply the neem oil pesticide - Apply the neem oil combination frequently, ideally every seven to fourteen days. This will ward off all bugs and diseases.

How neem oil works

Neem oil is mostly made by combining the tree's crushed seeds with water or a solvent like alcohol. The potency of the oil's active components is influenced by its various processing techniques.

The substance most frequently derived from neem seeds and other tree parts is azadirachtin. Azadirachtin is mixed with soaps or other organic-listed substances in general insect sprays.

Neem oil works by interfering with the hormones in the bug that regulate feeding, growth, and reproduction.

The component azadirachtin is not the only one in neem oil that is known to be effective against pests but is efficient than the other ingredients. Neem tree oil contains approximately 70 chemicals, many of which are believed to have insecticidal or repellant qualities.

Tips for using neem oil

Apply the neem oil mixture early in the morning or late at night as the majority of the helpful insects are often dormant during such periods.

Make sure to combine the water and neem oil in appropriate measures as neem that is too potent might burn the tissues of the leaves.

Prepare the neem oil mixture a day before you intend to use it and make small quantities of the mixture to prevent the mixture from separating over time.

You can include essential oils like mint and lemon in your mixture because of their aroma and some essential oils even act as insect repellants.

Conclusion

Neem oil is a great natural pesticide and fungicide that every gardener's toolbox should have. Apply neem oil every two weeks as a precaution. If you're trying to deal with an active insect infestation, spray your plants with neem oil once per week.