At EcologíaVerde we are committed to teaching you new ecological ways to take care of your plants with natural products and, thus, at the same time try to protect the environment. We have spoken on other occasions about the use of cinnamon or milk for plants. On this occasion, we invite you to continue reading to learn how to use two of the most used products in organic farming: neem oil and potassium soap, as they are perfect for treating and preventing various pests in plants. So read on to find out. how to make neem oil and potassium soap and how to use it.
What is neem oil and potassium soap for plants
Neem oil, dark in color, with a bitter taste and intense aroma, is extracted from neem tree seeds, originally from India and has multiple uses. You can use it as insecticide, acaricide, fungicide and as an insect repellent.
In addition to its wide field of action in terms of uses, it is also effective against:
- The white fly.
- the cochineal
- the aphid
- The red spider.
- The thrips.
- Leaf miners.
As for fungi, it is very useful against mildew or powdery mildew, two of the most common and problematic in most crops and garden plants. Its effectiveness against nematodes has also been proven, so we can say that neem oil is universally used to combat almost any type of pest. And it is that the composition of neem oil is so complex that it makes it practically impossible for insects to adapt or create a certain resistance capacity.
As for the potassium soapwe talk about another powerful ecological insecticide that mixed with neem oil is capable of accelerating and strengthening all its properties. In addition, potassium soap has a powerful cleaning effect with which to eliminate molasses residues generated by insects. These residues that accumulate on the leaves can cause the appearance of fungi, as problematic for your plants as is the case with the bold.
How to make neem oil and potassium soap
The first thing you should know is that neem oil, like all other oils, is hydrophobic. This means that you will need a surfactant, which is nothing more than a product that helps remove the protective film that prevents the two liquids from mixing. In this case, potassium soap should be used; either homemade or one of the recommended brands that you can find in stores. Before you start, we recommend that you use a meter to make your task easier.
- You should add 5 ml of potassium soap for every liter of water. The soap is most likely condensed, so we recommend that you pour the soap into a pot and heat it to make it much easier to mix. Keep it on medium heat until it dissolves.
- Add in the same proportion the pure neem oil, that is, 5ml for every liter of water. Luckily, since the oil is already in liquid form, it will be much easier to add it to the rest of the mixture.
- As an additional piece of advice, we recommend that when you prepare this mixture with neem oil and potassium soap, you make a large quantity, as minimum about 10 liters so you have enough to perform a full treatment.
- Furthermore, it is possible add baking soda to the mixture for better results in fungal treatments and to prevent their appearance.
We recommend you read this other guide about How to make potassium soap.
How to use neem oil and potassium soap for plants
Neem oil is applied with a spray on the stems and leaves, either concentrated or diluted in water, or within the irrigation itself. For this reason, as we have explained before, we recommend that you make your own homemade mixture so that you can use it regularly on your garden plants and crops.
- When applying it, it is very important to do it during sunset to prevent the mixture from degrading due to solar radiation and to avoid that, in case the sun hits the plant very directly and is strong, there are burns on it. . In case you cannot apply it at that time, simply make sure to carry out the treatment every 2 or 3 daysinstead of every 4 or 5 days if the plant is already affected by any of the pests already mentioned.
- In the case of using neem oil and potassium soap as a preventive method, we recommend that you spray your plants every 15 or 20 days.
- For extreme cases where plants are severely affected or in critical condition, we recommend not only pulverize the leaves and stems with the product, but also include the mixture in the irrigation. Make sure to evenly water the entire soil so that it reaches all the roots of the plant perfectly.
- Finally, it is possible to use a sponge or cloth where we have previously applied the product and manually clean the leaves and parts affected by fungi or other insects. On many occasions it is possible to save the leaves with this treatment before deciding to eliminate those that are severely affected.
If you want to read more articles similar to Neem oil and potassium soap for plants: how to make it and use itwe recommend that you enter our category .
