Neem oil- the BEST thing for keeping those bugs away!

[ASB_Stars]

For the past few years, I have been adding neem oil to my regular fly spray, and it does an amazing job at keeping the flies away. In addition, it is pretty viscous stuff (goes solid below 70 degrees) so mixing it with something that cuts it is great, and it stays on better than anything else I have tried. I also use a mitt to apply the spray- as opposed to spraying it on, and you seem to get a whole lot more milage out of a quart of spray that way.

Downsides? It smells nasty, and it will discolor white markings- not permanently- but not so you’d like to go into the show ring looking a bit yellow! The plusses totally out weigh this, however.

There is a someone (I think they are in FL- no, it isn’t me) on Ebay selling 2.5 gallon containers- which is a lot, I know, but you can get a great price, and share with friends. We also have kept it over the winter, and it was fine the next Spring.

Just thought I’d share- I know people are always looking for help with those pesky flies, this time of year. :winkgrin:

[Sulta]

How much do you add?

[pintopiaffe]

It’s excellent for coat and skin as well…

My problem is finding it. The Nat’l food store where I got it two years ago is out of biz. Where do you get yours?

[Shadow14]

[QUOTE=pintopiaffe;4170548]
It’s excellent for coat and skin as well…

My problem is finding it. The Nat’l food store where I got it two years ago is out of biz. Where do you get yours?[/QUOTE]

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1313&_nkw=neem+oil+&_sacat=See-All-Categories

[deltawave]

I’ve tried it, completely unimpressed. :no:

[Drive_NJ]

My BO won’t let us bring the stuff into the barn any more because of the smell. While it did work a little better, the efficacy did not seem to outlast the smell.

[ASB_Stars]

I add up to 25% of my mix. I think you get used to the smell-- sort of.

I notice a really, really big difference in how long any fly spray lasts, when I add the neem.

[buck22]

interesting, I use neem in my garden but its always frightened me a bit as I get a tad lightheaded from the very strong smell/fume spritzing it around.

[ASB_Stars]

I have never had that problem- and I have never heard of that problem. I know it is the secret ingredient in a few natural mixes- and I have never heard of those folks complaining…

[deltawave]

Some people can be very sensitive to strong smells and it can trigger reactions like that, not unheard of.

[JSwan]

Years ago an old timer told me that chinaberry repelled fleas - and if my dogs had a flea problem I could either plant chinaberry in the back yard, or take branches and put them in bedding or where the dogs laid around in the back yard.

It’s an invasive species and I never did it - but I never discount the wisdom and lore of old timers. Just filed that info away.

Anyway - flea/tick repellent came up on this BB a while back and I told the story of the chinaberry and provided a link… then read the link and learned that chinaberry is a relative of neem.

Well now - maybe that old timer was on to something! :lol:

He also said that spreading lime would help with fleas too. Have no idea if it does but I dutifully filed that information away.

[charismaryllis]

it’s very good on soft bodied scale on orchids.

oops, wrong forum. :winkgrin:

[buck22]

[QUOTE=JSwan;4170951]

He also said that spreading lime would help with fleas too. Have no idea if it does but I dutifully filed that information away.[/QUOTE]
I use gardening lime to freshen pee spots in the paddocks and keep the grass from being killed. Works very well.

yeah, I don’t know why I react so strongly to it, I’m not a terribly sensitive person and I use gallons of tea tree oil for various reasons all year - which can be purdy darn strong - but neem really does a number on me for some reason. I get light headed, and dizzy and generally uncomfortable. I’m not particularly careful when I spritz the garden so I probably inhale more than I should. :lol:

I do need to spritz with chamomile tea soon, and was thinking of adding some neem to that, along with seaweed… for my own little 3way spray. I go through 2 bottles of safer to treat the garden once… it gets costly.:lol:

[pintopiaffe]

I’m pretty sensitive to smells, but to me the neem just smells like strong green peppers. Now, maybe the stuff I got wasn’t particularly strong…

I mixed Vinegar, water, neem and pine oil.

It ROCKS, for horseflies and deerflies.

[equineartworks]

About a tablespoon per gallon works to keep bugs away. As with all oils, a little goes a long way and more doesn’t always mean better. Add a teaspoon of Dr. Bronner’s tea tree shampoo to the mix so it “sticks”.

I always go light because horses groom each other and Neem is a known abortifacient and can cause liver issues. Just because it is natural doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use caution.

[equineartworks]

[QUOTE=charismaryllis;4170960]
it’s very good on soft bodied scale on orchids.

oops, wrong forum. :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

And for white fly on veggies :lol:

[MunchkinsMom]

I have not tried this product because my horses break out in hives from tea tree oils, so I can’t say if it works or not, but thought I would post it anyway:

TELESIS EQUIDERMA’S NEEM & ALOE FLY SPRAY

http://equiderma.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=32

[Thomas_1]

If you want a fly repellent that works then have a read of this:

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=104176

[decorum]

[QUOTE=Thomas_1;4171545]
If you want a fly repellent that works then have a read of this:

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=104176[/QUOTE]

It really does work, I wasn’t seeing any scabs on my horse’s sheath and belly from the noseeums and figured it was working awesome, then suddenly he had a bunch. Eeks, I figured I would use Tri Tec again and after 2 days he was way worse. OK, Thomas’s stuff works better than Tri Tec and that stuff is pretty dang good. Now I am using Swat on the few bad belly spots and Thomas’s secret stuff everywhere else, I always had to do that with Tri Tec too but this is so much cheaper and works better! Bonus!

Ann Szolas

[ASB_Stars]

Yes, Thomas, and all for a great cause.

But what is the secret ingredient…since you decided to wander on to my thread?

Neem is great stuff.