Neem Oil

[2hp]

Over-hyped or real deal?

Are y'all just spraying gallons of the stuff on all your palms?

[Billeb]

I also quiried this and was told by a large palm tree vendor down here in Southern California that he uses Malathion applied with a standard 2G pump sprayer. Available at big box stores. 
 

I’ve been using it ever since and have had very good results with the typical mealy bug flare ups. 
 

-dale

[2hp]

  On 1/26/2022 at 1:34 AM, Billeb said:

Malathion

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Interesting. That hits the insecticide use case, but is obviously a man-made chemical.  Neem oil is supposed to have insecticide properties, but also works as a fungicide. Plus it's 100% organic and non-toxic. 

[Billeb]

  On 1/26/2022 at 3:40 AM, 2hp said:

Interesting. That hits the insecticide use case, but is obviously a man-made chemical.  Neem oil is supposed to have insecticide properties, but also works as a fungicide. Plus it's 100% organic and non-toxic. 

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Ive never used it but was advised not too because Malathion worked better. This certain individual has one of the largest operations in SoCal (if not the largest) so I thought it good to took his advice. I’m interested what others say about the neem oil tho. 
 

-dale

[Tracy]

  On 1/26/2022 at 1:23 AM, 2hp said:

Over-hyped or real deal?

Are y'all just spraying gallons of the stuff on all your palms?

Expand  

I use it selectively mixed with water and a little dishwashing soap, primarily on aloes with aloe mites or aphids.  Depending on the problem, sometimes just a high pressure water stream can knock down a problem.  Controlling ants that feed on aphids and seem to accompany mealy bugs as well, helps knock down the other problems.  So I do use chemicals to control ant infestations, as without it the ants eventually come into the house in their search for food and water.  I hate using systemic chemicalss which work well, but also kill bees, lady bugs and other "good" visitors to the garden.  About the only place I use systemics is on non-flowering plants, such as cycads.  Some of my cycads seem prone to getting aphids and/or scale on their new flushes when very tender, so I use Imidacloprid containing systemics annually since these plants are all non-flowering and don't attract bees.   While Malathion may work well, I prefer not exposing myself and dogs to it in the garden if there are other ways to keep insects in check.

[Silas_Sancona]

Neem is one of those things that can work ..for some things, IE: knocking down certain insects at certain lifecycle stages, but not others ..Killing insects at the adult stage..  It also can degrade quickly in sun, or wash off when it rains. Insects also have to chew the leaves of target plant(s) to ingest it,  though, if i remember correctly,  it can also knock down insects sprayed directly.

As far as it's effects on beneficial insects.. some back and forth on just how toxic it can be to Bees ..or others like ace Wings ( supposedly Neem can hinder the development of eggs laid )

To get the best results, you also have to know if the product you're using is just Neem extract, ..or if it also contains other insecticides / etc.. ( Do your homework )

I myself don't use it only because i can deal w/ most pesty- things fairly easily.  The uncertainty around how Neem effects beneficial bugs causes more pause, ..for me at least.
 

That said, w/ the exception of spraying around the perimeter of the foundation w/ something like Home defense to keep things like Cockroaches out / Black Widow numbers wayy down - close to the house- i'll never use anything synthetic  like Malathion.. Most native Californians remember when the stuff was sprayed from helicopters when trying to control outbreaks of Med. Fruit Flies..  Awful stuff, as are most synthetics..  These days, there are far less lethal ways of dealing with " bad " bugs.

Would rather deal w/ some pesty bugs, then face the real consequences when everything is nuked.. Which throws everything else wayy out of balance. 

Simply put, we need bugs..  Don't like them, or the typically minor damage they do, consider a new hobby..

When plants suffer major insect infestations, it is usually a blaring sign something else isn't right ..and is stressing out the plant that needs to be addressed First. Some plants, Milkweeds ( Asclepias sp. ) for example,  have specific relationships w/ certain " pesty " bugs that attack them and don't need to be controlled / cause much more harm when controlled.

 

[tinman10101]

I have used Neem Oil in the past but find Horticultural Oil better.  I learned early on from a seasoned nursery man that if you get rid of ants, you'll get rid of 99% of pest in your garden (Socal for sure) With that being said, I now use a mix of malathion/horticultural oil in a sprayer.  15ml/gallon of each and it kills pest on two fronts.  smother bugs and scales from the oil and kills ants that have a symbiotic relationship with the pest.  I use it religiously for 10 years and it has kept me happy with every pest  AND .. always spray super early in the morning when there is no wind draft.  On a long term basis, I use Termidor (used by pros in the biz) for the ants ... very crazy stuff but one spray and it usually treats ants from entering my garden for 3-5 years.  I am very careful with this since it will destroy bee colonies so spray when i see no bees and no wind and preferably when everyone is asleep.  I used to use volk oil in my malathion/oil mix but realized it should only be used when plants are dormant so now i use Horticultural Oil and spray whenever I want.  The Neem Oil is nice but I have gravitated to Horticultural.  Just a little bit of my experience.  I recently purchased orthene 97 because i heard this stuff does wonders but I have not had a need to use it yet.  

[Dartolution]

  On 1/26/2022 at 1:23 AM, 2hp said:

Over-hyped or real deal?

Are y'all just spraying gallons of the stuff on all your palms?

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I've used a 70-30 dilution for years on a monthly basis during the growing season for just about everything (except succulents) and yes, it does work wonderfully. If applied properly it doesn't seem to bother pollinators (I have loads of hoverflies, honey bees, solitary bees etc...), but it helps control aphids, white fly, mealybugs, spider mites and thrips and stop them from overtaking the garden. I spray the palms with it as well. It does not eliminate them, nor should it, but it does seem to help control their numbers greatly. I like to think it helps with the palms to prevent fungal issues but maybe thats just me speculating. 

The only thing I don't spray it on is milkweed and succulents. Tropical milkweed here has loads of bugs on them like aphids, milkweed bugs, and caterpillars ... So I let nature have them. The milkweed doesn't seem to mind anyway haha. 

[D Palm]

Neem-oil has not worked for me. I opt for the systemic. I don’t think it has bothered the bee population in my yard. My wife plants Zinnias…which creates a love garden for bumble, bees and butterflies.