Spray Ingredients
1 quart of warm water
1/8 teaspoon liquid soap (Dawn, etc. or use grated Fels-Naptha)
1 teaspoon neem oil
Few drops of one essential oil, such as Oregano, Peppermint, Clove, Lavendar, Lemon Grass, etc.
Spray Preparation
Fill a 1-quart bucket with warm water. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of liquid soap and mix the water vigorously to disperse the soap.
Drizzle in 1 teaspoon of neem oil slowly while continuing to stir the soapy water. This will result in a 0.5 percent neem solution, which is useful for preventative spraying.
Add 2 drops of peppermint oil if you are going to use this neem oil repellent inside your house, because neem oil smells horrible! Different essential oils offer insecticidal properties in addition to a better scent.
Unscrew the top of a spray bottle. Put a funnel over the neck of the bottle and pour the neem solution into it, until the liquid is almost to the neck of the bottle. Screw the spray head back onto the bottle.
Shake the bottle after filling it.
Spray plant leaves thoroughly on both their tops and bottoms -- especially the latter, where pests and eggs often lurk.
Refill the bottle as needed from the remaining neem oil pesticide in the bucket. If you don't use the entire amount in one day, discard the remainder of the spray. Drenching the ground around infested or diseased plants is a useful way of using up the extra neem solution.
|