Yo, what’s good? It’s your boy Dan and today we’re talking about the battle of the bug killers: insecticidal soap vs neem oil. If you’re growing that dank herb, chances are you’ve had some pests trying to mess with your crop. Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered with a breakdown of these two natural pest control options.
First off, let’s talk about insecticidal soap. This stuff is made from soap salts, specifically the potassium salts of fatty acids. It’s an old school way of dealing with pests that’s making a comeback as more growers look for eco-friendly ways to keep their plants healthy. You can spray this on your plants to deter pests or use it to fight off an active infestation. Insecticidal soap works in three ways: by drying out insects, suffocating them, or destroying their eggs and larvae.
Now let’s move on to neem oil. This stuff is made by pressing the fruit and seeds of the neem tree, which is native to Southeast Asia and India. It’s rich in triglycerides and triterpenoids, which make it a super effective pest control option. Unlike insecticidal soap, neem oil doesn’t directly kill or damage insects.
So which one is better? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. Neem oil is more expensive and harder to find than insecticidal soap. However, it’s effective against a wider range of pests and has antifungal properties that insecticidal soap doesn’t have. Insecticidal soap is a contact killer, meaning it kills insects on contact while neem oil is absorbed by plants and only affects insects that feed off the treated plant. Insecticidal soap also breaks down easily in the environment but may kill beneficial insects while neem oil doesn’t break down as easily but won’t harm most beneficial insects.
But why choose one when you can have both? That’s right, using both insecticidal soap and neem oil together can give you double the protection against pests. Mix 10ml of insecticidal soap into 1l of unchlorinated water then add in 3-5ml of neem oil. Shake well and spray your plants once a week to keep pests away or 3 times daily if you’re dealing with an infestation.
One thing to keep in mind though is not to use either of these on flowering cannabis plants. You don’t want to inhale any residue from these substances when you smoke your herb and neem oil has an unpleasant odor that can affect the aroma of your buds.
So there you have it folks, a breakdown of insecticidal soap vs neem oil for all your pest control needs. Don’t let those little buggers ruin your harvest, hit them with some eco-friendly pest control and keep your plants healthy and strong.