I was just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on using neem oil spray on my plants while they are flowering, I’ve done a bit of research and still I get conflicted responses from different people some say no do not use oils during flower and others say they its fine. The only reason I am spraying is because its been pretty hot, humid and damp rainy weather for about a week now and I started finding little caterpillars on my girls…
3 Likes
How far into flower are you? I’d avoid using anything the last couple weeks but if your still 4/5 weeks out you’ll be fine . Chances are you’ll get a rain shower and wash any residue off before harvest .
I’ve sprayed into week 6 with no noticeable effect on finished buds but also will give a final ph’ed water spritz of the plant a couple days after the neem application.
5 Likes
I’d say an insecticidal soap might just do them in as well my homemade stuff fucked up some grasshoppers lately! A castle type soap does a number on a lot of pests you don’t want on the plants!
2 Likes
Any oil spray including neem is risky when applied in temps above 90F or in high humidity. It’s very easy to burn a plant with an oil spray.
Look into using spinosad or Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) to combat caterpillars.
6 Likes
Appreciate you guys…I think I’m going to use the soap and maybe half the need oil with it. some of the plants are flowering more than others I received 10 clones as a barter with someone I met while having a yard sale I’m not even sure of the strain names lol I forgot to write them down and label them but I’m figuring depending on first frost in my zone 6b maybe ill be harvesting them early Octoberish? this was my first outdoor grow in over ten years so I’m a little rusty
2 Likes
Sometimes just a good old fashioned hose blasting can do the trick too. Had a ton of aphids on my outdoors and now almost none after a couple good hose showers.
4 Likes
I put some of my homemade soap in this bad boy just yesterday noticed some aphids as well as some what appeared to be thrips 3-4 oz soap filled with water setting of about 4 sprayed the garden in like 2 minutes topside and underneath canopy
3 Likes
I can digg it… I’m currently using a one gallon sprayer like this one it really gets the plants covered but I have to pump the bitch up twice per plant!
3 Likes
Best not to spray in late flower, but the season is still really early, you should be fine.
I’d rather smoke residual pesticides than pesticide oils/soaps, but that’s just me.
Caterpillars are very industrious, they can strip plants quickly.
3 Likes
I’ve used BT for caterpillars up until harvest, they will eat your buds and shit in the rest and ruin them. I stop neem 2 weeks into flower. Spinosad will turn your pistils burnt orange. Dr Bronners and water with aloe doesn’t seem to affect buds up to harvest also.
1 Like
Hi and new here Aphids have been a problem on my outdoor I’m using organic soaps Apple Cider Vinegar cooking oil and Diatomaceous Earth and water mixture its a fight but major improvement . Using a 1 gal sprayer with a misting nozzle spraying under sides and all over early mornings and evenings . When the war is won easy to spray off the soap . I haven’t used neem oil because of budding and it may leave a taste or smell ?
5 Likes
That’s an interesting combo for sure ,?welcome to OG @gramps! Glad to have ya here! Castile soaps are know to bio degrade rather quickly in any event I plan on doing some bud washing with this years harvest to get the potential nasties off the plants!
In my environment, I need to spray almost up to harvest to get clean safe medical quality bud with no mold. for the caterpillars, you should find a spray with bacillus thurgensis (often abbreviated bt). The bud worms you are seeing hatch from small white or yellow eggs laid at the tips of the leaves and calyxes by moths. The bacillus thurgensis will control and kill any larvae that hatch on your plants.
As long as you keep it fully organic, I have never seen any impact in quality of the finished product. spraying will keep the bud safe and can prevent large seasonal losses to mildew, botrytis bud rot, and bud worms.
Because of seasonal rains here, I often have to harvest at a moments notice so I have pulled crops the morning after spraying with no negative impact. If the plants were sprayed with any product within a week before harvest, I take the additional precaution of a full 2 month cure before I smoke it at all. with a decent cure it seems that any residue left from spraying will volatilize and offgass, because when I had a batch of my outdoor tested my bud passed testing for pesticides and medical safety.
Otherwise fully organic bud can usually be smoked as soon as it is dried and burped properly.
2 Likes
Rain most likely near the end of grow will wash these lady’s . I have a few other mixtures I’m trying I have a fresh hatch of ladybugs that are right up on the tops feasting on aphids so no spraying today . This medicine is for me so trying to keep as clean as possible .
2 Likes
I use a mix of it until flower. Then the girls are on their own. I also spray with one of those roundup sprayers. They work awesome.
1 Like
I just used Btk for my caterpillers in bud with zero issue. I’ve read that neem oil gets into the buds and flavor. Try to avoid any oils during flower imo. It’s just gonna stick to the buds.
I used this
Welcome, @gramps. Good to see you here.