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How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants

Tomatoes are one of my favorite crops, I like to grow all kinds of tomatoes in my garden and enjoy them in my meals. Normally every year I have to deal with some pests on my tomato plants and I don’t like to use any chemical pesticide on my plants. So, I looked for an organic alternative. That’s why I started to use neem oil on tomato plants. In this article, you will learn How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants and How Often to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants.

Neem oil is a natural insecticide used in organic farming and gardening to combat pests and fungi. It has many benefits to using this organic oil, but before learning how to use neem oil on tomato plants, I will tell you a little more about neem oil.

What is Neem Oil?

Neem oil is essential to treat pests and diseases in the garden naturally. It is obtained from the leaves and seeds of the Azadirachta Indica tree, also called Indian Lilac because it comes from that country. Neem oil is an excellent ally for the organic vegetable garden to prevent and treat pests, keep plants healthy and avoid diseases without harming the environment, plants, beneficial insects, or our own health in any way.

Neem extract contains many active substances and derivatives, each of which affects the different insects to be combated. Some of them are Azadirone, Nimboline, Vepinine and are present in the oil extracted from the seeds, Amorastaitine and Vilasinine present in the leaves, and Geduninine, Nimbin, and Salanine in the leaves and seeds.

Neem oil works as an insect growth regulator, either by direct contact or by ingestion, inhibiting the development of immature stages such as pupae or larvae. In turn, it also has an anti-feeding, repellent, and sexual confusion effect and prevents females from laying more eggs. These are not immediate effects but will pass over the days.

Uses Of Neem Oil as An Insecticide on Tomato Plants

Neem oil can be used to combat many pests on tomato plants such as leafminers, whiteflies, mealybugs, aphids, thrips, spider mites, fleas, bugs, weevils, small caterpillars, leafhoppers, termites, and also to combat fungi such as mildew, powdery mildew, and rust. The use of neem oil on tomato plants has many benefits because of the large number of insects that neem oil can eliminate.

In some more potent fungi such as Alternaria, Botrytis, and black spot, sodium bicarbonate can be added to the mixture to make the treatment more effective. Recently, a scientific study proved that neem oil was also effective against mosquitoes. White Mites Causing Tomato Leaves Curling Up

Recommended article: Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants: Causes & Treatments

Using neem oil on tomato plants will prevent insects from feeding, growing, and reproducing. This organic pesticide does not have immediate action, it needs a few days to act on the tomato plant, but it is highly effective.

Benefits of Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants:

  • Antimicrobial
  • Repellent
  • Insect growth inhibitor  
  • Nematicide
  • Prevents insects from feeding
  • Anti-fungus
  • Insecticide

Using neem oil on tomato plants has many benefits, and the best of all is that it is organic. I have been using neem oil on tomato plants and other plants in my garden for several years and I have never had any problems, but there are some things to keep in mind that I will show you below.

uses of neem oil as an insecticide on tomato plants
Neem oil is very effective against tomato pests.

Let’s continue reading to learn How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants and How Often to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants.

How To Make Neem Oil Spray for Tomato Plants

Neem oil should be mixed for application to tomato plants or other plants in the garden. You will only need the following ingredients to use neem oil on tomato plants:

With potassium hydroxide, you can make your own 100% organic and safe soap for use on tomato plants. The proportions to be mixed may vary according to the manufacturer of the neem oil, so it is important to read the labels to know how much to dilute, but generally, the mixture of neem oil for tomato plants would be as follows:

  • Neem Oil 1 teaspoon (5ml)
  • Potassium Hydroxide, 1 teaspoon (5ml)
  • Water 33 oz (1 Liter)

Once you have the mixture, put it in a sprayer and apply it all over the tomato plant, above and below the leaves. The neem oil mixture should be used no more than 1 hour after it is prepared. Learn more about how to mix neem oil for plants.

Neem Oil Spray for Plants, 16oz 100% Pure Cold Pressed Neem Oil Concentrate, Horticultural for Indoor and Outdoor Lawn Garden Leaf Flowers Vegetable Fruit Trees
  • [ 100% Pure Cold Pressed Neem Oil ] - Contains 100% pure neem oil cold pressed from the fruits and seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). The cold pressing process retains the most nutrients possible and preserves powerful active ingredients.
  • [ Effective Spray for Indoor Plants ] - Keep your indoor plants happy and healthy with beautiful green shiny leaves by treating them with neem oil concentrate, diluted into an effective spray form. Safe for spider plant, snake plant, pathos & ivy and more.
  • [ Protects Outdoor Plants & Gardens ] - Our neem oil plants spray improves leaf shine and offers effective protection against harmful damage. Use as a systemic treatment or soil drench for outdoor herb & vegetable gardens, fruit trees, flowering plants and bushes.

How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants

Let’s see How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants. To use neem oil on tomato plants, apply the neem oil mixture all over the plant and spray thoroughly. After the first application of neem oil on tomato plants, repeat the application every 2 days for the first 14 days.

It is very important never to apply neem oil on tomato plants at times when the sun is very strong because the oil will fry the plant. That is why I recommend applying neem oil in the afternoon or early evening, applying it early in the morning can be dangerous because if it does not dry in time the midday sun will damage the tomato plant.

Never use neem oil 72 hours before tomato harvest and after harvesting washes the tomatoes thoroughly. Neem oil is absorbed by the roots of the tomato plant and can remain for up to 20 days in the plant performing the desired effect which is to repel insects, but rest assured that your fruits will be 100% safe for consumption.

how to use neem oil on tomato plants
How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants and How Often to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants. Repeat the application of neem oil every 2 days for 14 days, the first time you apply neem oil.

How Often to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants

In the following paragraphs, I explain How Often to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants.

After the first use of neem oil on tomato plants, repeat the application of neem oil every 2 days for the first 14 days. Subsequently, it is recommended to use neem oil on tomato plants every 3 weeks as a preventative.

That is the best frequency to use neem oil on tomato plants, do not forget to apply neem oil in the afternoon or evening.

Final Conclusions

Using neem oil on tomato plants is 100% safe and environmentally friendly. The most important thing is the moment you apply the neem oil because as we already mentioned the sun can damage the plant with neem oil. Therefore, it is better to use neem oil on tomato plants in the afternoon or evening.

Remember to always read the manufacturer’s label for the correct dilution of neem oil to be effective against insects. I have been using neem oil on tomato plants and other plants in my garden for several years now without any problems.

We hope that this article on How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants and How Often to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants. I am confident you will have an excellent tomato harvest.

If you are interested in learning more about tomatoes, we recommend our articles about tomatoes:

neem oil tomato plant
It is important not to apply neem oil on tomato plants in the morning because the sun may damage the leaves of tomato plants.

About Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan is an agronomist horticulture founder of The Garden Style Company and The Garden Style Website. He previously worked for Mondelēz International as an Agronomist Engineer specializing in agricultural products management in highly populated areas. In 2000, Henry started working with farmer-producers in agricultural businesses selling wholesale fresh produce and retail plants in Van Buren, Arkansas. Nowadays, Henry lives in California, where he offers expert consulting services for organic vegetable gardening. As a science writer working with his wife, Julia, Henry shares his passion for gardening and farming, trying to reach and teach as many folks as possible.

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