Neem Oil

9/9/2016

Neem oil is a horticultural oil harvested from the seeds of the Azadirachta indica tree in India.

Neem oil as pesticide

Neem oil is an organic pesticide used against thrips, whiteflies, aphids, mealybugs, locusts, nematodes, cabbageworms, fungus gnats, moth larvae, elm leaf beetles, scales, mushroom flies, leaf miners, caterpillars, and Japanese beetles. It can also be used against ants, snails, termites, mosquitoes, and flies.

Neem oil as fungicide

Neem oil has been shown to control powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, sooty mold, and black spot.

Neem leaves and seeds (Hayavadhan) CC BY-SA 3.0

Neem oil toxicity

As with most other pesticides, neem oil has its drawbacks. Neem oil exposure may cause abortion or lead to infertility, and it may cause liver damage in children. Pesticides containing neem oil (Azadirachtin) are banned in the UK.

Using neem oil

Neem oil products are sold at varying concentrations, so it is important to follow package directions exactly. These safety precautions should be used any time pesticides are used:

Wear eye protection.
Wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
Wear gloves.
Wash protective clothing after each exposure.

11 Comments

Sidney Tulloch

7/5/2020 04:31:40 am

If I spray fruit trees with neem oil, is it safe to eat the fruit the following day?

Kate Russell

7/6/2020 06:12:09 am

Hi, Sidney.

Yes, neem oil is safe on edible plants. You can use neem oil up to the day of harvest. As always, it's a good idea to wash your produce before eating it.

7/6/2020 06:16:37 am

OK, thanks Kate.

Omer Elmagboul

7/30/2020 04:07:34 am

Please read the following articles:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3841499/#:~:text=Neem%20oil%20is%20a%20vegetable,nimbin%2C%20picrin%2C%20and%20sialin.

The second linl is case where a man DRANK neem oil. He had other chronic conditions, and was 73 years old.

I am an organic gardner in the UK and have been using Neem Oil for years without any side effects.

I use gloves and long sleeved top wear while using it.

PLANT POWER RULES!!

Marsi

6/27/2023 10:16:01 am

Why would anyone DRINK neem oil? I love when people do dumb stuff and then are surprised by less-than-ideal outcomes. I mean, did he have thrips???
Additionally, people fail to understand that anecdotal evidence is not indicative of a true issue.
Besides, Olive oil is safe, but drinking quantities is probably not.

6/30/2023 04:46:34 am

Marsi, you made me laugh! I couldn't agree more.

Kate

Monika

7/30/2020 05:33:12 am

Hi,

I sprayed today my herbs with mix of water, neem oil and castille soap as they were infected with some black looking like dots bugs. Now I am wondering how long it take before I can safely eat it again ?

7/30/2020 10:48:49 am

Hi, Monika.

You can just rinse them off, as you would any other time, and go ahead use them. The neem oil hurts bugs, not us.

Enjoy those herbs!

Colin Carmichael

4/27/2021 02:40:52 am

I am totally confused. It appears that Neem oil is banned in the U.K for horticultural use. And yet it is widely available to buy on the internet and it also seems to be loved by those who use it. As a law abiding organic gardener, what am I to do?

Jae

9/23/2021 11:34:17 am

You say it's banned in the UK? That's nonsense. Check your facts. I live in the UK and have bought it online and in local health stores.

9/24/2021 01:15:58 am

JAE< read the above article before posting your comments...As with most other pesticides, neem oil has its drawbacks. Neem oil exposure may cause abortion or lead to infertility, and it may cause liver damage in children. Pesticides containing neem oil (Azadirachtin) are banned in the UK.

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Neem Oil

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