Neem oil is a broad sprectrum pesticide that can be used in your yard or garden for killing and deterring many varieties of pests.
Neem is a tree native to India and Burma. Neem oil, pressed from the seeds and leaves of the tree, suppresses the endocrine and reproductive system of insect pests when applied to foliage or used as a soil soak. It may also be used successfully on potted plants.
Applied properly, neem oil does not harm humans, birds, plants, earthworms or beneficial insects. Check out the long list of insects against which neem oil is effective and the food crops it has proven to protect.
Photo courtesy of The Dirt Doctor.
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Spinosad is good for killing mites and thrips (including on pets), and pyrethrin will kill anything. I mix up a quart spray bottle every week with neem, castile soap, liquid kelp and every few weeks, fish emulsion.
Bonide’s Dead Bug Brew is possibly the cheapest spinosad concentrate. Bonide also has an effective pyrethrin dust. Garden Safe brand has the cheapest neem oil I’ve found, annnd just last week there was a coupon for Garden Safe on coupons.com
Ahh and a 1/4-1tsp neem in a spray bottle with water is an effective ant killer, and it wont harm pets.