If you read my link from Pubmed you’d understand why I was asking for a specific brand.
“Several patents related to processes and products based on neem have been deposited in the United States, India, Japan, Australia, and elsewhere. Many of the products derived from neem are manufactured by crushing the seeds and other plant parts, followed by the use of solvents to extract the active ingredients possessing pesticide activity. The different methods and techniques employed to obtain neem products can result in different concentrations of the active compounds, as well as different biological effectiveness (Roychoudhury, 2016). Table Table11 lists some of the main commercial products based on neem.”
You need to use 100% cold pressed raw neem. No processing, just squeeze the juice out. Other kinds could work but all my success is with raw neem. The last stuff I bought is this
I currently also add in some raw linseed oil and raw sesame oil since they are cheaper than the neem. Linseed oil in particular I like… this one:
So it seems like Azadirachtin isn’t effective, or at least not at this concentration. The primary protection appears to come from the physical barrier created by the viscosity of neem oil?
Hi Scott, do you have any other type of borers or just peach borers? I believe I have flat headed apple borers where I live. I have mostly managed to treat them with BT but I have found it hard to figure out timing. Borers can be so frustrating, especially on young trees. I’ve been considering using your method to see if it would resolve my issues with flat headed borers as well.
I only have peach borers. Someone tried it on an apple tree and the tree died so maybe hold off on that option or try on a test tree first.
@InfiniteFruit the neem directly on the trunk is thousands of times more concentrated so those other studies are meaningless.
@Exmil Google will show you what they look like. They have an orange band on their abdomen which is very distinctive. I thought I didn’t have any and my peach trees were declining from something else … then I spotted a borer moth on one of my peach trees. Several trees then died before I got the borers under control. It is good I knew what they looked like so when I happened across one I knew what it was.
John Bunker of Fedco trees advocates a mixture of white latex paint and gypsum for apple borers. It forms a pretty resilient mechanical barrier apparently. Ive not tried it myself, though it seems like a good idea. I wind up with way more apple borer damage than Id like, just haven’t gotten around to it. Peach borers are an issue here too though my peaches mostly seem to outgrow the damage. I see mostly lesser peach tree borer damage here, based on the location of the damage. that may have something to do with it not being such a big deal.
recipe? I think its more of a mix to the proper consistency type of method. John Bunker may have a written “recipe” somewhere on the Fedco site or in a related publication. You might look at Michael Phillip’s books. He and John were friends and swapped ideas. here’s from an old pre-growingfruit Houzz forum about it:
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Here’s a summary of what I’ve learned about peach tree borer protection: (i) physical barriers are essential - latex paint alone isn’t enough, and additions such as gypsum, joint compound, or row cover fiber wraps are necessary; (ii) insecticides with prolonged effects are beneficial; (iii) changes in color probably not going to significantly impact borer attraction; (iv) raw neem oil can be effective but needs to be applied multiple times throughout the season, with precise timing being crucial.
This year, I’ll be testing a single application of white latex paint mixed with a higher concentration of insecticide on the tree trunk. I’ll report back with the results.
I only apply once a year and have had good control. But I think twice will be a safer bet. This last year I had a couple infected trees and I think I may have put down my one coat a bit too early. My guess is once late May/early June and once mid-late July and you will be covered.
I just had my first encounter with peach tree borers. Noticed my tree dropping green leaves but holding the fruit. Decided to dig under the soil line and found borers under the soil eating the rootstock. I think I cleaned the wound of the borer, found one in there only though.
Would the tree be able to recover from this damage?
The damage resembles what I’ve seen with my cherry/peach trees before. In addition to applying neem oil, be sure to remove the larvae. Recovery depends on whether the damage has girdled the trunk.
Thanks, yea I poked around with a clothes hanger and got 2 borers out. Found an additional one along the edges of the wound as I kept searching. I think I got all of them. Damage did not look to go all the way around the trunk, so hopefully still survived and produces fruit this year. Dropped some leaves but no fruit yet.
I read this online about repelling them, wonder if anyone has found it effective?
Dennis
Kent, wa
What is a natural remedy for tree borers?
A natural deterrent for borers is garlic. Simply plant cloves of garlic around your fruit trees, which will help prevent visits from the adult borer beetles.Apr 21, 201
