Neem is an insecticide derived from the neem tree native to the Middle East where it has been used as an insecticide for centuries. It is biodegradeable and of very low toxicity even used in toothpaste and pharmaceuticals. Neem contains more than 25 active compounds that combat insects. Neem also works as a systemic which is absorbed into the plant to be ingested by feeding insects. Many beneficial insects are unharmed by Neem because they do not feed from the plant. Neem Oil is also considered effective preventative of mildew, rust, anthracose, rust, leaf spot, botrytis, scab and alternaria. More information is available at the Neem Foundation Web Site.
As an insecticide, Neem has three modes of action:
Neem can be used on house plants, ornamentals, vegetables, trees and lawns. Apply as a foliar spray or as a soil drench for systemic control. Please refer to the list below for insects that Neem Oil can be expected to control.
Note that Neem is not a contact insecticide, it is effective for spraying on plants that problem insects are feeding on. If you need a contact insecticide that uses organic substances, Rotenone-Pyrethrin spray is an excellent choice.
16 oz concentrate, use at 1 ox/gallon, (varies depending on application) $19.95
Aphids
Armyworms
Bagworms
Beet Armyworms
Bean Leaf Beetles
Billbugs
Bollworms
Borers
Box Elder bugs
Budworms
Caterpillars
Chinch bugs
Corn Earworms
Codling moths
Colorado potato beetles
Cucumber beetles
Cutworms
Crainflies
Diamond back moths
Elm leaf beetle
Eroupean corn borer
Fall armyworms
Fruitflies
Fungus gnats
Grape leaf skeletonizers
Grasshoppers
Gypsy moths
Hornworms
Hyperrodes weevils
Lace bugs
Leafhoppers
Leafminers
Leafrollers
Loopers
Mole crickets
Mealybugs
Melonworms
Mexican bean beetles
Psyllids
Pickleworms
Pinworms
Pine sawflies
Scales
Sod webworms
sawfly larvae
Spruce bud worms
Squash bugs
Tent caterpillars
Thrips
Tomato fruitworms
Twig girdlers
Vine borers
Webworms
Weevils
Whiteflies
White grubs
Wooly aphids