Neem oil

[Nan]

Hello,
After doing a bit of research here and elsewhere I bought some pure Neem oil via ebay and yesterday I sprayed an imulsion of it onto my sprouts, curly kale and cavalo nero there seemed to be a mass bail out of white fly while I was spraying so I thought I would repeat the application once a week to try to get rid of the little devils. Has anyone else has experience of this- how well did it work for you?

[amy]

I've never tried or heard of this. I presume you mean that you're using it as a natural pesticide? I'd certainly like to know how it works over time...

[claire2965]

yes i would be interested in the results as my allotment is over run with white fly.

[airconednightmare]

i've used it indoors and based on that it won't rid you of the problem compleatly but should keep them under control.

[shahwon]

With thanks to Organic Farming - The Philippines (Lesley)
http://www.freewebs.com/organicfarmphil/

COMMON INSECT PESTS AND THEIR CONTROL
Whit Flies are aphid-like small insects that look like tiny moth. The nymphs are found in the underside of the leaves or covered parts of the plant as they try to avoid direct sunlight. Repeat treatment several times
Control measures:
Spray with soap and nicotine solution.
Use tobacco dust.
In every serious case, use kerosene emulsion with soap and water.
Spraying or drenching plants with HOC-4n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate) including the soil at the base of plants will reduce and eventually eliminate infestation.
Borers hatch inside the stem of plants, eat and grow inside as caterpillars. The branch or stem infested wilts and die.
Control by cutting off the infested stem and burn killing the pest. Periodic spraying plants with organic insecticide will help repel pests. Introduction of TRICHOGRAMMA & BRACONIDS are very effective and self sustaining borer control. When established in the community, borers no longer can multiply and increase into pest population.
Spraying of HOC-3n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate at weekly interval during flushing, flowering and fruit development stage will greatly reduce infestation until totally eliminated.
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Coffee Berry Borers (CBB) The 1.5 mm bark beetle spends its entire larval life inside the coffee berry, encases the coffee bean. Male mates inside the berry with females, but never emerge. Only the mated female emerge to fly to a new berry and bore into it to lay eggs and start the cycle anew. Only when the female fly out is it vulnerable to predators or chemical control.
Control is difficult with traditional and biological means.
A Fungus, Beauveria bassiana, attacks a wide range of insects, including CBB. The technique is to get the fungus in contact with the insect pest. The fungus can become ENDOPHYTIC – meaning, once introduced to the plant, it integrates with plant tissues. Four methods are employed. 1. Injecting it into the stem, 2. Spraying it on the leaves and other parts of the plant, 3. Soaking the seeds in it and 4. Drenching soil with it. The purpose is to make the fungus thrive in the plant so that the coffee berry borer can become exposed to it and be infected and die.
Spraying the coffee trees with HOC-3n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate) once in 15 days will help reduce and eventually eliminate infestation.
Caterpillars feed on leaves and tender parts of the plant. Butterfly and moth underneath the leaves usually lay eggs.
Control measures:
Spray kerosene emulsion and wet the egg clusters to destroy them.
Handpick the caterpillar and destroy them.
Pick leaves with cluster of eggs and burn them.
Introduce natural enemies in the environment like Braconids and other beneficial insects and predators.
Spray and drench the plant with HOC-4n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate) when pest are observed.
Cutworms attack newly transplanted vegetable seedlings or chew leaves and tender parts.
Control measures:
Check at night with flashlight and gather pest and mechanically destroy them.
Cultivate and expose the soil of seedlings attacked by cutworm, locate them and destroy.
Placing a stick or toothpick/matchstick at the side of the seedling stem buried will prevent cutworms from encircling cutting the stem.
Spray or drench the plant with HOC-4n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate) including the soil at the base of the plant.
Leaf miners are grub inside the leaf. It develops into pupa and drops into the ground. It causes minor damage to leaves
Control measures:
Herbs with strong smell repel adult’s flies and other insect pest. Intercropping or planting strong smelling herbs in your garden will lessen infestation.
Chickens and birds feed on pupa in the ground. Making your garden and farm a haven for birds will help reduce insect infestation.
If possible, plant trees bearing fruits and berries edible to birds in your farm. Maintain a watershed or mini forest for haven of wild life.
Dusting wood ash and HOP-3n1 (Herbal Organic Powder) on leaves will repel leaf miner fly.
Mealy bugs are scale insects covering stems and branches of plants, sucking its sap. This pest if not controlled early can destroy entire orchard.
Control measures:
Spray alcohol on the mealy bugs. It penetrates the waxy shell like protective cover, killing the insect.
Spraying kerosene with tobacco and soap plus Malathion is effective for field control of orchard fruit trees like mango.
Repeat spraying every week until the pest is totally under control.
Weekly spray of HOC-3n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate) for insect pests.
Fruit Flies are common and serious pest on fruits like mango, guava, jack fruit and other fruits and vegetables. The fly lays eggs into the fruit and hatch into maggot that burrow inside fruits. They eat up portion of the fruit and open it to secondary rot infection.
Control measures:
Gather all infested fruits and bury or burn them to destroy the pest.
Use bait like methyl eugenol or hydrolicate with insecticide.
Dip ripe fruits like aromatic guava, jack fruit in Malathion of other insecticides, and place them on branches of trees every 20 meters apart.
Mix two teaspoon of household ammonia and ¼ teaspoon soap powder in a quart of water. Fill a jar with mixture and put the jar right nest to the sunny side of the plant. Change the bait once a week or if it is diluted by rainwater.
Plant strong smelling herbal plants within your garden and farm.
Squash bugs lay eggs on squash. They develop into gray nymphs with fat bodies and black legs. They suck the sap of squash and other plants with tender shoots and flowers like mango.
Control measures:
Sprinkle the plant with hydrated lime or wood ash.
Find the eggs and crush them.
Trap them with a thin flat board place slightly tilted in the garden. The bugs assemble beneath the board where they can be gathered and destroyed.
Spraying kerosene with tobacco and soap plus Malathion is effective for field control of orchard fruit trees like mango.
Repeat spraying every week until the pest is totally under control.
Spray HOC-3n1 on weekly interval.
Root maggot of flies laid its eggs near roots of plants like corn, vegetables. The hatched maggots feed on the roots, and weaken the plant. When in heavy population, they wilt and kill the plants.
Control measures:
Sprinkle wood ash around the stem of newly transplanted seedlings.
Incorporate chopped marigold into the soil.
Use organic fertilizers.
Sprinkle HOP-3n1 (Herbal Organic Powder) for insect pests.

Aphids / Green / Black fly makes your plant looks spindly and pale. They attack the leaves and stem. Aphids can change color to match plant color. It Metamorphose from nymphs to adult, with or without wings. When they are over crowded, they develop wings and fly to neighboring plants of the same family. They have 12 days cycle to maturity.
Control measures:
Makabuhay (Tinospora rumphi) – Roots, stem and leaves liquid extract mix with water and soap is a good spray against flies, aphids, moth, worm and other insects.
Atis (Anona squamos) seeds are grind into powder and mixed with water and soap. Use as spray on aphids.
Spray HOC-3n1 on weekly interval until pest are controlled.


USE OF ORGANIC PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL MATERIALS
We have a long list of biological pest and disease control and prevention materials at the later part of this paper for your guide, in case you decide to make your own botanical organic pesticides and fungicides.
Research found Marigold to repel or eliminate nematodes within a meter radius from the plant. The roots give off chemical diffusate that is toxic to nematodes. Many other plants and herbs have been found to have insecticide and fungicidal properties. You may follow theses simple steps in preparing organic pest and disease extracts for your garden use:


PREPARING YOUR OWN PESTICIDE
While so many farmers are complaining of the high and even increasing cost of commercial agricultural chemicals, they can make and prepare their own with cheaper and available materials they can secure in their community or even grow in their own farm. Among these are the following:
Lime sulfur powder as natural fungicide
a.Secure 1-kilo very fine lime and 1-kilo sulfur powder.
Mix at 1:1 ratio.
Add 1-gallon water.
Bottle and seal tightly.
Spray to plants for the control of fungal diseases of both garden and farm crops.

Water is a universal solvent and cleaning agent. Home gardens with good water supply, while watering their plants can wash them with pressure hose to remove insect pests, fungus and bacterial infections. This practice is even done to big trees with power sprayers. Spraying clean water can wash off mites, ants, spider mites, and even fungal infections and other insect pests. With this practice many home gardens never use toxic chemicals to spray their plants against pests and diseases.

Sea Water is one source of good fungicide and insect repellant as well as providing the plant with added trace mineral elements. However it may need dilution with fresh water to reduce its toxicity to plants specially those with thin leaves and sensitive tissues.
Soap or Detergent and water
Dissolve two (2) ounces soap flake to thee (3) gallons of water.
Bottle the stock solution, ready for spraying. Soap washings may be used.
Dissolve three- (3) tbs. of soap flake/powder in one (1) gallon of water. Soap washing may also be used.
Spray the plants with the stock solution against insect pest attacking your garden plants. The soap solution is effective control against mites, aphids, ants and other garden insect pest. It can also control fungal infection.
Soap and Kerosene
Buy soap and kerosene from your local store.
Mix ¼ cup soap water + ¼ tbs. of kerosene + one liter water. Stir the mixture to form stock solution.
Place stock solution in bottle ready for use. Use this solution when infestation is serious. Adding Malathion insecticide will help increase killing potency.
Spray plants for the control of garden pests such as aphids, ants, mealy bugs, mites and spider mites, etc.
Soap and Aromatic Herbs
Collect / gather / wash and clean 1 Onion, 1 Garlic, 1 tbs. Hot Pepper.
Chop / cut materials into small pieces. Use grinder.
Pound / grind the different materials to extract juice.
Filter the different materials separately.
To the filtered juice of different materials, add 1-quart water. Let it stand for one hour and add 1-tbs. liquid soap detergent. Place the mixture in tightly covered jars and store in a cool dark place for a week as stock solution.
Bottles stock solution ready for botanical pesticide. Spraying garden plants with botanical pesticide. This spray makes use of the repellant quality of onion, garlic and pepper. The soap serves as sticker and spreader.
Vinegar
Buy vinegar from your local dealer. Bottle the vinegar as stock solution.
Spray plants with vinegar (stock solution) for the control of powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. Vinegar and other acids is good material for fungus eradication.
Vinegar + Fermented Sugar
Buy vinegar and sugar (brown or moscovado) from your local dealer
Mix the fermented sugar and vinegar at 1:1 ratio and place in bottle as tock solution.
Spray to plants stock solution for control of pest and fungal diseases.
Adding water and soap can help spread the stock solution but could dilute the material to be less effective.
Vegetable oil
Buy vegetable oil from your local dealer. This serves as stock solution.
Add water and soap (1 part oil + 5 parts water + ½ part soap) and spray to plant to control spider mites and scale insects.
Wood Ash
We can control root maggots in radish, cabbage, onion and other brassicas by spreading fresh wood ash around the plant roots. Ashes are then covered lightly with soil.
Wood ash can also control snails, slugs and cutworms by encircling plants with 3-4 inches wide trench, 1-2 inches deep and fill the trench with ash.
Spraying cucumber beetle with a mixture of equal parts of wood ash, powdered line and soap is an effective control.
Spray wood ash with water and soap can control flea beetle of tomatoes.
Vinegar and vinegar with fermented oil
Vinegar
Buy vinegar from your local dealer. Bottle the vinegar as stock solution.
Spray plants with vinegar (stock solution) for the control of powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. Vinegar and other acids are good material for fungus eradication.
Vinegar + Fermented Sugar
Vinegar and sugar (brown or moscovado) from your local dealer
Mix the fermented sugar and vinegar at 1:1 ratio and place in bottle as tock solution.
Adding water and soap can help spread the stock solution but could dilute the material to be less effective.
Spray to plants stock solution for control of pest and fungal diseases.
Crude oil
Buy crude oil from your local gas station dealer.
Mix soap and water to form your stock solution. (100 grams powder soap + 1 liter crud oil + 1 liter water).
Mix to stock solution to 16 liters of water and spray to plants against scale insects, mite, aphids and other insect pest and fungus.
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