Diluting Neem oil properly helps you to attain the best results in pest and plant disease eradication. An interesting fact about Neem solutions is that you can make and dilute them yourself at home.
All you need is a gallon of warm water, an emulsifying agent, and pure oil to begin the process. If you wish to create a perfect Neem dilution for a specific situation that you are facing, see more details in this guide.
How to Prepare the Best Neem Oil
You can prepare the best Neem oil dilution by combining cold pressed Neem oil, an emulsifier, and lukewarm water. Now gently stir the mixture until it is well mixed. Bear in mind that different situations have varying Neem oil dosage requirements.
– Assess the Situation
There are several things that you have to consider before diluting or making Neem oil that suits a particular situation. In case you need to use the Neem oil as a spray, make sure that it will not be harsh on the leaves and flowers of the plants.
The foliar spray is more useful in repelling and killing pests that have already invaded your plants. When applied to the pests, Neem oil should block the breathing systems of these bugs causing them to suffocate.
Neem oil should be strong enough to disturb the breathing process of pests and protect the plants’ foliage at the same time. Some pests and insects feed on the plant’s leaves, stems, and flowers, so using the soil drench system can be the best option. In this case, the Neem oil concentration that you apply to the plant should not disturb the roots in any way.
The soil drench method is used when you want to kill pests and insects that survive by feeding on the plant foliage. Azadirachtin, which is an important component of Neem oil, is absorbed into the plant’s system through the roots.
Make sure not to add any other chemicals that may harm the foliage. If you intend to spray Neem oil on edibles, avoid including harmful chemicals to the solution.
– Make use of Precautionary Measures
Some people are sensitive to Neem products which may cause skin irritations, itching eyes, and breathing problems. This means that you should be very cautious when making a Neem oil solution. Don’t ingest or inhale splashes of Neem oil. In case you have already handled Neem oil with bare hands, we recommend that you wash your hands afterward.
You should wear gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, eye protection, and a face mask to curb problems that emanate when you touch Neem oil directly. After making or handling Neem products, consider cleaning the utensils and placing them in a safe place.
– Prepare an Emulsifying Agent
Oil and water separate when they are combined without the help of an emulsifying agent. Silica or a liquid dishwashing detergent will do the job very well. You should add any one of these two emulsifiers to eight ounces of water and mix them up.
However, silica commonly known as potassium silicate is the best emulsifier for Neem oil as it gives certain benefits to the plants. Silica hardens your plants making them tolerant to drought and stress by strengthening the cell walls.
This causes the plants’ stalks to grow large. When you apply Neem oil on the plant, silica gives it a light coat which makes it less vulnerable to fungal diseases for instance powdery mildew and other leaf-sucking pests. On the other hand, you can consider using liquid soap as an emulsifier.
Diluted liquid soap is one of the most decorated DIY garden sprays that is used to fight aphids and several other insects that are soft-bodied. It disturbs their cell membranes which eventually kills them especially when sprayed directly on them.
We recommend Dr. Bronner’s Castile Peppermint soap as it strongly repels insects. Despite liquid soap not having the same benefits as silica, its own formidable pest and insect fighting attributes makes it a good option.
– Include Other Necessary Additions
Depending on the situation that you want to use the Neem solution on, there are other additions that you can include to make it more ideal. You can add a bit of Aloe vera to foliar sprays as it has the advantages of feeding and boosting the plants’ immune systems.
Aloe vera is suitable for all plants and is ideal for seedling feeding and has the qualities to support recently transplanted plants. In this case, it is wise to add Aloe vera to support the plant’s well-being at the same time the Neem oil solution protects the plants.
However, Aloe vera will not be needed if you want to make a Neem oil concoction just to drive away intruders like millipedes and wasps. Neem oil’s strong scent will drive away the intruders by itself as these uninvited guests will unceremoniously flee from it.
Avoid adding any other pesticides that may cause harm to plants and beneficial insects. Also, if you want to spray Neem oil indoors, ensure that none of the occupants is allergic to Aloe vera first.
You can consider peppermint and other Neem odors that deter pests with their unpleasant smell. Only 10 to 20 drops of peppermint will be enough because this essential oil is very concentrated and just a little addition will take the plants a long way. Other essential additions include lavender, tea tree, orange, and eucalyptus.
– Gather the Requirements
Get one tablespoon of cold pressed Neem oil, one teaspoon of pre-wetted silica concentrate or one teaspoon of liquid soap, and five liters of water. Cold-pressed optional additions of ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of aloe vera.
Another option to consider is a few drops of essential oils. However, after assessing the situation at hand, you can adjust the ingredients either up or down to suit your needs. You can buy Neem oil-making requirements from nearby gardening stores.
Besides extracting a Neem concentrate yourself, you can get a ready-to-use cold pressed oil from reputable stores. Unlike Bonide Neem oil which contains acephate which kills all bugs that are on the surfaces it is applied to, you should not add harmful chemicals that can kill beneficial insects.
Since the main objective in making a Neem oil solution yourself is to make it as safe as possible, avoid using a Bonide Neem oil concentration. If you wish to use a Southern ag triple action Neem concentrate, pure cold pressed Neem oil, or a dyna-gro pure Neem oil, make sure the situation that you need to use them on fits their qualities well.
Applying Neem oil for houseplant pest eradication should be done using less harmful Neem oil products to reduce problems of human and animal intoxication.
– Mix the Ingredients Together
If you choose to use silica as an emulsifier, get 35 grams of silica powder and eight ounces of water. This mixture will appear cloudy and can be stored in a cool place for up to a year. Add drop neem oil to the solution when a needy situation arises. This mixture is plenty enough to produce 48 gallons of Neem oil batches.
However, you just need to fill a five-liter container with silica blended water first. If you want to include Aloe vera in this solution, add ⅛ to ¼ full teaspoon.
– Stir the Mixture
Now, stir the solution gently or put the combination in a five liter sprayer and make a through shaking. If you want to make a half-gallon or less solution, combine 1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap, or a teaspoon of pre-made liquid silica blend. Add 1 tablespoon of Neem oil concentrate and thoroughly stir until the solution becomes creamy thick yellow.
When you are ready to use the Neem oil application on the foliage, you should dilute it further by filling a quart container to about three-quarters with warm water. Close the jar and shake it thoroughly. You should not see any oil droplets forming up on the container’s surface if you mix neem oil and water properly.
However, it is quite hard to know if the solution is well-emulsified when using soap as it foams. Lastly, you should pour the quart of warm Neem solution into the water that is in your sprayer and shake it well to create the final dilution.
Frequently Asked Questions
– How Can I Make a Neem Oil Mixture for Your Scalp?
You can make neem oil for your scalp by getting 100 grams of neem oil concentrate, eight to nine teaspoons of base oil, water, a wooden spoon, and a suitable container. Add oil and the Neem powder to a pan and heat them for two minutes while mixing.
Cover the pan, turn off the stove, and wait for at least 10 minutes. Now, strain the Neem oil mixture into a glass container and it will be ready for use. And that is how to dilute Neem oil for hair!
– How Can You Prepare Neem Leaves for Hair?
When using fresh Neem leaves to make Neem oil for hair care, you need coconut oil, water, a grinder, and a wooden spoon. Place the Neem leaves in a grinder, add water, and grind the combination into a thin paste.
Put some coconut oil in a pan at a ratio of one cup to 500 grams of leaves. Now, add the paste into the pan and give it time to boil. Keep stirring the mixture under a low flame. When the mixture starts to turn brownish, cut out the flame and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Now, you should strain the mixture and store it in a glass container for preservation.
Conclusion
You can eliminate intruders like spider mites, thrips, fungus gnats, mealybugs, and scale using Neem that is well-diluted. Below are the main highlights of preparing Neem oil spray for plant care as well as other uses.
- If you choose to use silica as an emulsifier, get 35 grams of silica powder and eight ounces of water.
- When using fresh Neem leaves to make Neem oil for hair care, you also need coconut oil, water, a grinder, and a wooden spoon.
- Oil and water separate when they are combined without the help of a suitable emulsifying agent.
Despite the fact that you can buy Neem oil products that are ready to use or alternatively use and dilute them yourself to suit your desires. Now that you have learned how to dilute Neem oil, it is time to make a balanced Neem oil spray and enjoy the results!
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