June 23, 2024 – We had two weeks of spring, but Noah's Flood, both of which slowed down pollinator activity. Now the heat is intense, slowing tomato pollination and bringing in pests. There's not much you can do about the heat, but you can encourage pollination by holding the plant a few inches below the flowers and shaking the flowers gently, doing this daily. But what about the pests?
One of the worst pests expected this year are aphids. Because they are so small and inconspicuous, aphids often go unnoticed until their infestation becomes severe and unstoppable, ruining certain crops like cucumbers. Luckily, researchers have discovered that spraying a plant's leaves with a compound found in neem oil can stop the insects from eating the leaves. What's more, the compound prevents insect reproduction and is effective against about 200 species of insects as well as destructive fungi and bacteria.
Another benefit of using neem oil is that it is non-toxic to birds, earthworms, mammals, bees and plants (though it is toxic to fish if your garden is built on a pond). It must be ingested to be effective, so any insects that feed on the plant's leaves will die.
Neem oil comes from the neem tree, which grows 75 feet tall in zones 10-12 and can live for 200 years. Unfortunately, we live in zone 8. But some of you might try to get a seed and see if it will work. After all, many tree species across the U.S. are grown outside of their native range. For the rest of us, a trip to your local nursery or produce store will suffice.
The big drawback to using neem oil is that it has a very short half-life. It needs to be reapplied after every rain or every 7-14 days. Other than that, it is a safe, effective, non-toxic product.
Asian Ladybird
