I've been using neem oil as a foliar for the past three years of growing and I quickly realized the massive benefits of that type of application. This is my first year using neem seed meal in my soil mix and I'm a little leery of it's effectiveness. I know a lot if you guys use it in the amendment mix so I'm looking for a vote of confidence here. I've had caterpillar issues outdoor EVERY year. Last year I spent lots of time picking them off and such... Will the meal in the soil keep this to a minimum this year? Help me out here... Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I don't think so as the budworm is layed by a moth on the plant. I have them every year as well and lost a couple of plants to them in the past.
http://www.saferbrand.com/store/garden-care/5162 I always put neem meal in my plants but it never stops certain bugs. For organic treatment of worms/moths of all kinds I use this stuff. Its a powder that puffs out. Make sure its dark and puff it on your plants and around them and no more caterpillars
I'm a big user of Neem Oil, and get great results every time, it takes care of many issues from molds ...bud rots to aphids and all mites, one very under noted aspect of Neem (oil or meal) is that it is systemic, can be sucked up by the plant, hence totally fuckes the day of any bug that may wanna suck the canna juice out of the plant, yet not enough to be noticed later at harvest by the smoker, I prefer the oil at 5ml (1x teaspoon) per gallon of water at each watering, and often foilar spray 1-2 times per week to m y blog: http://forum.grasscity.com/blog/1093/entry-9709-neem-oil/
Get some BT for the worms. If you can find the concentrate, it's much cheaper than the Safers or Dipel or whatever that is mostly just water. Neem isn't going to do squat for worms (caterpillars). You see the white moths, it's time to spray. The bottle of concentrate I have was $8.99 for 8oz and the mix rate is 1tsp/qt (4tsp/gallon). That $9 bottle lasts me 2 seasons and I re apply whenever it rains, or, if it gets washed off. Wet
To many organics is just a name, to others its a way of life...yeah you gonna inhale them chems Yo!!!
What chems? I don't think any have been mentioned. BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis), is a naturally occurring bacillus that is harmless to anything but caterpillars. Sure hope so, cause I've eaten a bunch of it from eating tomatoes right off the vine. The neem, lavender, and such are non chem, but I doubt if I would eat any. Neem smells bad enough as is. Wet
Neem is an acquired taste ....lol so not so close to harvest ...but it is SYSTEMIC, can be sucked up by the plant and is serious against any sap suckers, caterpillars, aphids and gnats included
i find dusting plants with diatomaceous earth helps cut nibbling,i also use aza direct, as well as entrust occasionally if a problem crops up. mostly using neem cake tea brewed with dynamic accumulators and kelp meal seems to be a better preventative course. and the plants really respond well !
2 part neem one part can shell plus basil ass yarrow to equal part fresh castings chop it up before you mix
To expand on what I stated before, rock dust can be applied as a physical deterrent and active pesticide via foliar application. I just use a small handful in the 3.5 gallon Chapin sprayer. Otherwise the oils I mentioned like Rosemary, Peppermint and Spike Lavender may offer some direct control over small insects like caterpillars though I mainly use them for eradication and control of mites. Cold pressed neem seed oil and neem seed meal from the Ahimsa company is what I rely on for maintenance and systemic protection. Bacillus Thuringiensis is an effective gnat control when applied to the soil and works against larger insects that eat foliage when applied as a dusting.
this is my first year using neem meal..but my guru swears by it. for catapillars and slugs you could use coffee grounds or eggs shells..they dont like to move across it as it cuts them apart
Use milk at 1:4 ratio at first..the enzymes and sugars cant be digested and destroy the chitin bodies of insects Sent from my SM-G920P using Grasscity Forum mobile app