I mostly love to grow tomatoes organically, thus it will give a fresh and chemical pesticide-free ripened tomato at the end of the season, But to achieve that fresh juicy tomato, you should be far away from pesticides. With extensive research, I have found neem oil to be one of the most natural and effective pesticides for tomato plants.
As Neem oil is a natural pesticide that can be used to kill a variety of pests, including aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and beetles. It can also be used to help control diseases like root rot, powdery mildew, and botrytis.
In this blog post, we will get to know all about neem oil and how to use neem oil on tomato plants.
What is Neem Oil and Its Biochemical Structure?
Neem oil is an oil that is pressed from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta). The neem tree is native to India and has been used in traditional Indian medicine for centuries. Neem oil has a wide variety of uses, including as a natural pesticide and insecticide.
The reason behind the work on plants of neem oil is its biochemical structure and properties. The main chemical constituents of neem oil are fatty acids, limonoids, and triterpenoids. Along with these chemicals, there are over a thousand chemicals present in the neem kernel.
These chemicals give neem oil its insecticidal and fungicidal properties and are suitable properties as below:
Neem Oil Characteristic: Requirement
- Specific gravity: 0.908 – 0.934
- Saponification value : 180-205
- Iodine value (Wij’s method): 65-80
- Maximum acid value: 15
- Maximum unsaponifiable matter: 2% by weight
The specific gravity, saponification number, and other measurement values of neem kernel oil impart that the use of a definite dose can be beneficial for plants and their growth.
Insect And Pest Control WIth Neem Oil. ( Rough Idea) Table
Many different types of bugs often attack tomato plants. Below, you will find information about the bug, management for the bug, and making a solution to use.
Insect Pest | Oil Measurements | Water | Liquid Soap |
---|---|---|---|
Aphids | 2.5-3 teaspoons | Per half a gallon of water | 2 teaspoons of liquid soap |
Spider | 2 teaspoons | 1 gallon | 2 teaspoons |
Mites | 3-4 teaspoons | 1.5 gallons | 2 teaspoons |
Whiteflies | 2 teaspoons | 1 gallon | 3 teaspoons |
Beetles | 2.5-3 teaspoons on the affected area or larvae/eggs | 1 gallon | 2 teaspoons |
Though its initial measurements, as per the plant quality and quantity and pest types, you can experiment with variations to maintain the basics.
How to use neem oil on tomato plants?
Before you get started putting on your tomato plants, you must consider the neem oils whether it is cold-pressed, organic, or not. Because many brands available in the market use a solvent to extract neem oil from the neem kernel. This results in less potent and sometimes harmful oil. So, let’s get started with using neem oil for your juicy tomato plants.
#Step-1: First Choose a Perfect Neem Oil
If you want to get the best results, it is essential to use high-quality neem oil. Not all neem oils are created equal. It would be best if you go through with the cold-pressed, organic, and pure neem oil.
These ingredients will be highly effective for the plant parts as well as give you the maximum assurance of being free from bugs. To make sure it is of good quality, you should check the label before purchasing it.
#Step-2: Add the Chosen neem oil with soapy water.
As a solution medium, the insecticidal soap can be a great option to mix up the neem oil with it and make it the highest effective solution for the bugs. Which is ultimately great for your tomato plants.
You must use a sprayer to spray the whole portion of the tomato plants and also keep it in mind to focus more on the underside of the leaves where most of the pests reside.
Take a look at the table given above to get an idea of how much neem oil and water you will need.
#Step-3: Remove the basal and dried leaves.
According to the extension report of different tomato plants’ diseases, one of the key reasons is not to remove the basal leaves and dried materials from the plants. This causes different bacterial diseases, and borer insects and the most common one is blight.
That’s why it is essential to focus on keeping the plant clean by removing all the dead and dried leaves from the plant and also the area around it. After these initial steps, you can now apply the solution to the tomato plants.
#Step-4: Now Time to Apply
You can use a pump sprayer, hand-held sprayer, or even a watering can with the ( given amount of) neem oil added to it. The best time of the day to apply these sprays is in the early morning or evening when the sun is not at its peak.
Generally, it will take-
- Half a gallon of spray for 3-6 medium-sized tomato plants.
- Half gallon of spray for 1-4 large-sized tomato plants.
- Half gallon of spray for 20-30 small size of tomato plants growing in the garden.
#Step-5: Spray Different angles and wet the plants
You should target all the plant parts, especially the underside of the leaves. It is challenging to get there, but you must do it. You can use a brush to gently move the leaves and spray in between them. Also, don’t forget to wet the stems as well.
While doing this process, make sure not to drench the plants as too much water can also be harmful to them and can cause different fungal diseases. So, just give them a light shower until they are fully wet.
#Step-6: Let it be for Some Time
After spraying neem oil on your tomato plants, let them be for some time so that the solution could work effectively. If possible, avoid watering the plants at least for the next 24 hours.
In this way, the neem oil will have enough time to show its results, and also, it will prevent any further spread of the solution to other areas.
After 24 hours, you can water the plants as usual. You will see that most of the pests are gone by now, and your plants are safe.
Repeat this process every 7-10 days or whenever you see any sign of pests on your plants. Following these steps will help you get rid of different pests and also protect your tomato plants from them in the future.
What Should You Consider While Applying Neem Oil?
There are a few things you need to remember while applying neem oil to tomato plants-
- You must never apply neem oil when the temperature is above 90 F.
- If you have recently used any other pesticide, you must wait for at least two weeks before using neem oil.
- You should always do a patch test first to check whether your tomato plants are allergic to neem oil or not. ( There is a large variety of tomatoes, so it depends )
I have been growing several types of tomato plants since starting my gardening hobby, The most common varieties of tomatoes which are compatible with neem oils are (in my perspective):
Insect Pest | Name | Characteristics | Suitability with Neem Oil |
---|---|---|---|
Beefsteak tomato | Largest | Very juicy | Highly Suitable |
Campari tomato | Sweet flavor | Juicy | Moderately Suitable |
Pear tomato | Pear-shaped | Good for salads | Moderately Suitable |
Grape tomato | Smaller | Cherry types with milder flavor | Average Suitable |
Cherry tomato | Rounded | Sweet | Average Suitable |
As plants depend on different factors, You may experience other results. Let’s share your data.
Can You Spray On A Schedule of Neem Oil on a Tomato Plant?
Yeah, of course, it’s a great idea. To protect the plants from any possible disease and insect infestation, precautions can be taken by schedule management with neem oil.
Suppose you have started using neem oil to protect your plants from pests and diseases, then you should make a schedule so that you can apply it on time and also in the right amount. This way, you can be sure that your plants are safe and are getting all the nutrients they need.
I can suggest a rough plan for doing the schedule:
Day | Infestation Character | Using Neem Oil |
---|---|---|
Day 1 | Infestation arises by seeing symptoms on a particular insect | 1st Dose of Neem Oil |
Day 2-7 | If the plant is not affected, then don’t give neem oil | No doses, Only soapy Water |
Day 8-10 | Whether plants are affected or not | 2nd Dose of Neem oil + Soapy Water |
Day 11-15 | Observe the Plants | – |
Day 16-18 | Observe the plants | 3rd Dose of Neem Oil |
The Process will be ongoing and take apart from around 3-7 days intervals. You must perform it early in the morning or evening time. Or any time when there is no sun or rain.
Does Neem Oil Harm the Tomato Plants?
No, neem oils are the extracted form of the neem tree and are safe for plants like tomatoes, cucurbits, brinjal, cucumber, chili, etc. As different insects are attracted to these plants, neem oil can be an excellent choice to get rid of them.
Furthermore, you will add soapy water with neem oil and spray it over the tomato plants. It will surely not harm the tomatoes in any way, but it would help if you still did a patch test.
Some people have also reported that neem oils can also enhance the growth of tomato plants and make them more disease-resistant.
Neem oil is an effective insecticide that can get rid of aphids, mites, and other bugs. This allows plants to grow stronger and develop better resistance to pests within that time.
Neem oils can also act as a natural fungicide and help in preventing different fungal diseases like early blight, late blight, Septoria leaf spot, etc., from attacking tomato plants.
How Long Does Neem Oil Last on Tomato Plants?
Once you have applied neem oil to your tomato plants, it will last for about two weeks before getting washed off by rain or watering the plants. If you live in an area with very little rainfall, then you may need to reapply the spray after 10-12 days.
If you grow tomatoes indoors, then the time duration can be adjusted to more than 2 weeks. However, if you see any symptoms of bugs or insects on your tomato plant, then you must respray the solution.
Is Neem Oil Eco-Friendly?
Yes, Neem oils are organic and eco-friendly. Its fumigants and spray don’t harm any microorganisms as well as nontoxic and don’t contaminate the ecosystem or water pollution.
Some benefits of using natural pest control methods are that pests cannot develop a resistance to it, there are no harmful side effects, and it is usually less expensive than other methods. Natural pest control can also help repel pests and nourish the soil.
After taking all of the factors into consideration, neem oil is the best choice for your tomato plant cultivation to get fresh, organic, and juicy tomatoes in the end.
Types of Insect/ Pest Control By Neem Seed kernel
Over 200 species of insects and pests on plants can be controlled by neem oil. If you use direct neem oil (3%) or other combinations of pest management the percentage of the recommended dose can be different. However, The main insects and pests are listed below:
- Brown plant hopper -Nilaparvata lugens
- Earhead bug -Leptocorisa acute
- Black bug -Scotinophoralurida
- Mealy bug -Maconellicoccus hirsutus
- Red spider mite -Tetranychus urticae
- White fly -Bemisia tabaci
Types of Disease Can Be Controlled By Neem Seed Kernel:
Sheath rot, Sheath blight, Bacterial leaf blight
- Apply neem oil at 3% as a foliar spray to control Rhizoctonia solani.
- Spray Xanthomonas oryzae with either neem oil at 3%, or NSKE at 5%.
Wrap Up:
As per the research conducted on the internet, I didn’t get any information about whether the neem oil is harmful to tomato plants.
From my point of view, neem oil can be used as a home remedy to get rid of many kinds of insects and pests as well and it can act as a natural fungicide to prevent different fungal diseases.
As we know, anything which is in excess is not good for our health. So, I would like to suggest you that, please don’t use the neem oil in excess amounts and try to maintain the ratio while using it.
I hope this information will help you to get to know about neem oil and its uses. If you have any queries related to this, feel free to ask.
I am a graduate of Bangladesh Agricultural University, where I delved into various agricultural disciplines, equipping me with a profound understanding of agriculture. Beyond academics, I have hands-on experience in gardening and crop cultivation. My passion is to embrace sustainable farming and horticulture. With a BSc in Agriculture, I am dedicated to promoting environmentally conscious and efficient agrarian practices.
Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture (Hons.)
Master of Science. (Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security ) (MS)
Bangladesh Agricultural University