greenfly etc

merry meet one and all,

I dont use chemicals in my garden but had trouble with greenfly, blackfly and blackspot on roses and also powdery mildew on other plants. In the past i tried all the usual chemicals but felt guilty about using them so i looked on the net and found that a natural oil called 'NEEM OIL' has been used for hundreds of years on the asian continent to control all manner of diseases. i found a company in the UK that sell it-it is organic. and for the past two years i have been spraying my plants with and i have had no trouble with the above diseases.
This is the company i get it from:
http://www.serendipityherbals.co.uk

you dont need a lot of neem oil-a little goes a long way. Have a look at the site if your interested.

blessed be

willow

 

So Neem oil controls diseases? I looked on that site and could not see any reference to it being used in the garden. There was a reference to it being used to control pests on animals but not diseases. I can imagine the oil blocks the breathing holes on the outside of the insect's body.
Greenfly and blackfly I have blasted off with a sprayer on the hosepipe. For diseases i am finding it more difficult to find an organic solution. I tend to use Sulphur but i still got blight on the potatoes. Next year I will have to spray before I see the disease.
For bigger insect pests such as caterpillars I have used Derris which is naturally occurring and that gives an acceptable control, but i would not want to use it where there might be beneficial insects so the aphids just get the water treatment.

 

Geoff, instead of using sulphur try a copper fungicde. David.

 

I investegated neem oil a couple of years ago.
I dont doubt what willow says but its, (as far as I can tell) not cleared by DEFRA for use as an instercide or a fungicide, and cannot be sold as such in the UK.

Therefore working out dilution rates could be a problem.

 

My brain was asleep I think - I used Copper sulphate but too late to save my spuds. The tubers did not rot but my Desiree would have been 8 times the size if the blight had not hit. I was thinking of getting Bordeaux mixture for next year but my wife said she had heard that it was being disallowed from organics because of the copper.But the Organic Gardening Catalogue still has it in their new catalogue. Anyone shed any light on that please? The edibles in my garden are strictly organic.
Neem oil - I have seen some web sites selling it for garden use and I am pretty sure they were in the UK. Wonder what the legal position is.
http://www.growell.co.uk/p/1110/Neem-Repel.html
If you are right then this site is a bit naughty. The Organic Gardening Catalogue certainly don't list it and that was my first port of call.

 

hi, when you order neem oil they send you instruction for dilutions for plants. If you contact the company i buy it from (see previous post) they will send you lots of information about neem oil and all what its used for.

BB
Willow

 

Neem oil is used a lot in the states it is an efficient pest destroyer.Plenty of places in the uk sell it a natural product from india, Pete you can spray plants to kill pests don't know were the not cleared by defra bit comes in you can actually use it on your body kills nits and is good for soariasis.
http://www.theneemteam.co.uk/acatalog/Outdoor.html?gclid=CLiU2PGVkI8CFQtmMAodFi9XVw
http://www.neemgenie.co.uk/

 

Geiff, copper is an organic compound. David.

 

Sorry no. Organic (in chemistry) means containing carbon and copper is a metal.

Also, just because something occurs naturally, doesn't mean it is suitable for use in an organic growing regime.

 

I stand corrected. David.

 

Phew thanks, I thought you might ask me to define the term organic as it relates to gardening!

 

Walnut, if it aint cleared to be sold as an insectacide, you cant sell it as one, legally.EEC rules I believe.
Thats why Jeyes fluid is now, (I think) basically sold as a disinfectant.

 

The definition of organic in growing produce is that you pay �£450/year to the Soil Association. Otherwise you are stuffed if you sell it as being organic. :(

 

Pete I stand corrected as you point out neem is not approved for sale as an insecticide you can use it for anything else but to me it seems ridiculous when these sites that sell it give you the dilution rates to use on the garden, it is a natural product and well worth using (better check the teatree as well)
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/approvals.asp?id=1355