Did you know that virtually every part of the neem tree is useful?
Bark, resin, seed, wood, leaf, flower and stem are key ingredients in many of our daily body and hair care, dental hygiene and cosmetic products. You can find neem on the ingredient list of many pet care products too! Neem tree branches are even used as toothbrushes in subtropical regions where this easy to grow tree grows wild. But most of us think of neem as a natural agricultural pest care product. Here’s why!
Neem is rich in antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti inflammatory properties. The list of practical uses the neem tree provides is extensive! We’ll just focus on how neem works as a key ingredient in our plant care tonics to benefit the overall health and vitality of our houseplants and gardens.
On its own, neem oil is an effective treatment for many plant pests and diseases. However, neem on its own has a few drawbacks including the rather strong smell many people find unappealing and then there's the emulsification issue. Neem is oily and gloppy when mixed with water making the experience of using neem on it's own in a spray not the most pleasant experience. In our many years of plant care and urban farming, spraying neem wasn't something enjoyable.
We changed all of that!
Here's how!
Our tonics contain the world's only whole plant extract of leaf, bark, and seed of the neem tree. We then infuse those extracts with fresh aloe vera leaf, kelp, live sprouts and mineral rich herbs like comfrey and stinging nettle, and then the magic really happens, we emulsify it with our very own soapnut tonic! This process not only emulsifies the oils, but it provides another layer of pest care by triggering the plant's own natural defense system.
Click here for an in depth look at Saponins
Here's how neem works to elevate your plants health and immunity:
- Neem is an insect repellent, insects are not attracted to your plants once applied.
- Neem is a hormone disruptor, pests do not reproduce effectively when in contact with neem.
- Neem is an appetite suppressant, insects who have already set up homes on your plants no longer thrive to effectively grow to reproduce or spread.
- Neem is technically edible making it perfectly safe to apply up until the day you harvest from your garden.
- Neem doesn’t pollute our streams or rivers like synthetic fertilizers and insecticides, instead it actually feeds the earth with healthy, soil boosting nutrients!
Is neem safe for pollinators?
There has been an ongoing discussion about this. Neem has been getting a bad wrap for harming beneficials like butterflies and bees. The problem with these accusations is that the studies have been done on products like Azamax, which is pure azadirachtin (the active compound in neem) not the actual cold pressed, organic oil that we infuse into our tonics.
Instead of harming pollinators, with proper use, our tonics actually create healthier, pest free plants that can better serve pollinators. So here's the real question: when do we ever want to spray anything, even plain water, when butterflies and bees are on and around the plants? Do we want to spray bees with olive oil, or any oil for that matter? Of course not!
The residue from Sacred Leaf Tonic are oxidized and evaporate in less than 24 hours, so even if a bee gets some overspray or lands on the leaf after application, there is no harm done. We never spray when pollinators are active, and never aim for butterflies or beneficials, no matter what we're spraying. By default our tonics make it easy to avoid spraying pollinators as we always recommend applying out of direct sunlight and heat, which is when bees and butterflies are active. Applying Sacred Leaf Tonic during the very early morning or evening hours when pollinator go to their home and rest is best for pollinators and plants!
We are honored to share there insights and are so excited for you to try our thoughtful tonics as our community continues to expand, grow and thrive!
Happy growing to you,
Karina and Team SE
How many times a week is the soul tonic to be used or what’s the frecuency please