Mellineal Gardner test Neem oil, dish soap, spinosad, pyrethrin (organic pesticides) on pickle jars filled with several common garden pest from his garden.
Ps… this did not encourage me to try Neem oil… but the other 3 worked very well.
TNHunter
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Dishwashing liquids are primarily designed to dissolve grease from dishes and clean clothes, not to kill insects. Not all dish soap have the same forumula. Dish detergents may dissolve the protective waxes on the plant leaves. Horticultural soaps are less likely to dissolve plant waxes. Some plants are sensitive to both type of soap. Neem oil has been shown to kill pollinators.
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garden like a viking on you tube has a vid on how to make homemade castile soap to use as like a dormant oil or a sticker. has alot of other how to gardening vids also.
I have some Capt Jack dead bug brew (spinosad). Think i will get some (pyrethrin)…
It zaps just about anything quickly… and if you spray it after sun down… it is supposed to be ok for pollinators by the next morning.
I want something to take out persimmon psyllids… especially on new growth on grafts.
Occasionally aphids and other pest.
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ive had good luck with Capt. jack. great to use for things you cant use reg. chemicals on.
Good experiment, but a bit unfair ro neem oil. Neem oil is not a good contact insecticide and not useful as a smother oil. Because it is an oil it will burn your plants. It is a systemic insecticide. The plant absorbs it and it affects the reproduction capability of the insect. So you don’t see a kill right away but future generations are wiped out. In that way it is very effective. Spinosad is mildly systemic but very short lived.
If you want to get rid of the Colorado Potato Beetle, as one example, you can spray neem oil on a cool day and you will eliminate your problem significantly. Neem is one of the only organic systemic insecticides and should be used when needed.
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Is fruit sprayed with neem oil safe to eat soon after spraying? My friend recommended cold pressed neem oil. But said spray right before sunset or it will burn the leaves.
What about cottonseed oil and Ultra pure horticultural oil? I think that cottonseed would be safe but what about hort oil which is a mineral oil?