Neem Oil

[pulpoinspace]

i'm on my 4th grow and just had my first insect outbreak: spider mites.

i panicked and sprayed a product from the hardware store called 3-in-1 neem oil RTU, organic, omri certified, safe to use in vegetable gardens day of harvest, and smells like total shit.

it had been 18 days since the flip and my plants were showing nice little budlets and nice white pistils that have since mostly turned brown from the neem oil.

the mites are gone for now. and i've ordered some purecrop1 and green cleaner in case they come back.

my question is, i'm growing an OG that usually takes about 60-70 days from the flip.
is the neem smell/taste still gonna be there if i sprayed it on day 18?

should i just toss the crop, clean the room, and start over with my newfound knowledge to treat the plants BEFORE they go into flower... smh. i don't wanna waste another 6 weeks growing a crop thats gonna crackle and taste like neem oil.

any advice is welcomed.

 

[Dmannn]

I wouldn't sell it to anyone..

 

[pulpoinspace]

I wouldn't sell it to anyone..

nah i wouldnt. thats not even what i'm worried about. not really even worried about my personal health. just wondering if 6 weeks is enough for the neem smell/taste to work its way out of the buds. if someone whose used it before, closer to harvest, can give me an all clear, i'll probably finish the run. i guess thats what i'm looking for.

 

[Dmannn]

You could pull off a few immature buds, dry them and test them..

 

[Dr.J20]

how much did you dilute the neem?
@ proper dilution, neem oil shouldn't be a problem, and really shouldn't affect taste or anything else as far as I'm aware. Wash your buds after you harvest and before you dry them and any of the burnt up pistils / other 'neem damage' (plus any other dust, debris etc. from during your grow) will be gone. lemon juice and baking soda in clean water--search around you'll find a good how-to somewhere.

 

[pulpoinspace]

how much did you dilute the neem?
@ proper dilution, neem oil shouldn't be a problem, and really shouldn't affect taste or anything else as far as I'm aware. Wash your buds after you harvest and before you dry them and any of the burnt up pistils / other 'neem damage' (plus any other dust, debris etc. from during your grow) will be gone. lemon juice and baking soda in clean water--search around you'll find a good how-to somewhere.

the product i got was already diluted. 0.9% neem oil.
https://www.osh.com/Osh-Categories/Outdoor/Lawn-&-Garden/Animal-and-Pest-Control/Vegetable-&-Fruit-Insecticides/Orchard-Tomato-&-Vegetable-3-in-1,-32-oz/p/2968337

that is the exact product.

i will look into budwashing at harvest that sounds like a great idea thank you.
have you sprayed neem oil in flowering before?

 

[Dr.J20]

I mean, you're fine.

yeah i've used neem all over the place on all kinds of plants, including canna, and including in flower, outside and inside. generally, as you've learned, try not to spray anything on buds past week 4 of flower--really, you're asking for mold issues and all kinds of trouble.

Its not going to be the end of the world--indeed, the damage from the mites is going to impact flavor and experience just as the neem may prevent you from reaching the absolute best possible expression of the genetics, but the neem isn't going to turn your harvest into unsmokable shit or be the only reason your bud doesn't taste or smoke as awesome as top shelf dispensary herb, you feel me?

and yeah, the actual neem smell will dissipate with time....(just like fish hydrolysate and compost and...)

 

[pulpoinspace]

I mean, you're fine.

yeah i've used neem all over the place on all kinds of plants, including canna, and including in flower, outside and inside. generally, as you've learned, try not to spray anything on buds past week 4 of flower--really, you're asking for mold issues and all kinds of trouble.

Its not going to be the end of the world--indeed, the damage from the mites is going to impact flavor and experience just as the neem may prevent you from reaching the absolute best possible expression of the genetics, but the neem isn't going to turn your harvest into unsmokable shit or be the only reason your bud doesn't taste or smoke as awesome as top shelf dispensary herb, you feel me?

yeah i gotchya. great advice. i'm gonna try and finish the run and wash the buds and hopefully no more mites = no more neem damage and we finish with somethin smokable.

thanks for your help.

 

[Dmannn]

Some people have had some adverse reactions to neem and AZAMAX. On bud and food.
Sorta like flu symptoms. But few and far between. Not trying to be a "fear monger"

With the dilution rate and stage of flower you describe.. I think you ill be totally fine as long as you don't reapply.

 

[pulpoinspace]

Some people have had some adverse reactions to neem and AZAMAX. On bud and food.
Sorta like flu symptoms. But few and far between. Not trying to be a "fear monger"

With the dilution rate and stage of flower you describe.. I think you ill be totally fine as long as you don't reapply.

Yeah i've read that too. but i also read that azamax is synthesized in labs, not truly extracted from neem which is where those symptoms arose. but either way i do appreciate your concern when i do harvest it will take notes. if theres anything off about it i wouldn't hesistate to toss it out.

 

[Dmannn]

Yeah i've read that too. but i also read that azamax is synthesized in labs, not truly extracted from neem which is where those symptoms arose. but either way i do appreciate your concern when i do harvest it will take notes. if theres anything off about it i wouldn't hesistate to toss it out.

True.

 

[SSHZ]

OK, let me help you. Neem is not especially effective and although the smell will disappear shortly, it will kill off your pistils on flowering plants. It's fine to use in veg, but not flowering. It's better as a preventative, than a kill after the mites appear. I guarantee the mites will reappear in a week or two. Fortunately, since it's early in flowering, new buds will form and you'll be fine although flowering finish might be delayed a bit.

Onward, I fought mites for years spending well over $1k for most, if not all, of the available products on the market, including some home made things like pepper sprays and such. I always liked Forbid 4F, since it lasts in the leaves and remains effective around 45+ days, and doesn't last in the plants as long as Avid and Floramite and similar things. I've seen bud tests that show if you use it before the buds form- maybe the 1st week of flowering- by the time of harvest the product is barely noticeable in testing. Not perfect but it is effective, lasts for a good long time, and won't kill you when smoked.

Now the good news, I've been vocal for my love of PC1 and commented in numerous threads about it, including here and THCFarmer. The plants seem to love their spraying of it, and have not shown any negative reactions to it. Even though it's oil based, it's made with new technology that improves the impact on the plants. Contact Monster Gardens and they can explain it in more detail.

So, in flowering, use it at the 1 oz. rate per gallon (2 tablespons/gallon) and spray when the room and plants are cool with lights out. I like to spray in the morning, early, and just leave the lights off an extra hour or two. Turn off the fans, let the plants dry before flipping the lights on. Also, make sure the plants are well watered before application, as it helps the plants withstand absorbing the product. I spray weekly, but if you are having issues, spray every couple of days is fine too.

PC1 is expensive, but effective if you spray well. Spray everything in the room, including the floor, pots, walls, etc.....you have to figure the mites are everywhere and it's important if you want to eliminate them for good. Spray like your life depends on it, it's important. Everyone has an opinion on this, and there are many threads on the subject. Lastly, don't keep spraying products on top of products, your plants won't react well to it.

 

[pulpoinspace]

OK, let me help you. Neem is not especially effective and although the smell will disappear shortly, it will kill off your pistils on flowering plants. It's fine to use in veg, but not flowering. It's better as a preventative, than a kill after the mites appear. I guarantee the mites will reappear in a week or two. Fortunately, since it's early in flowering, new buds will form and you'll be fine although flowering finish might be delayed a bit.

Onward, I fought mites for years spending well over $1k for most, if not all, of the available products on the market, including some home made things like pepper sprays and such. I always liked Forbid 4F, since it lasts in the leaves and remains effective around 45+ days, and doesn't last in the plants as long as Avid and Floramite and similar things. I've seen bud tests that show if you use it before the buds form- maybe the 1st week of flowering- by the time of harvest the product is barely noticeable in testing. Not perfect but it is effective, lasts for a good long time, and won't kill you when smoked.

Now the good news, I've been vocal for my love of PC1 and commented in numerous threads about it, including here and THCFarmer. The plants seem to love their spraying of it, and have not shown any negative reactions to it. Even though it's oil based, it's made with new technology that improves the impact on the plants. Contact Monster Gardens and they can explain it in more detail.

So, in flowering, use it at the 1 oz. rate per gallon (2 tablespons/gallon) and spray when the room and plants are cool with lights out. I like to spray in the morning, early, and just leave the lights off an extra hour or two. Turn off the fans, let the plants dry before flipping the lights on. Also, make sure the plants are well watered before application, as it helps the plants withstand absorbing the product. I spray weekly, but if you are having issues, spray every couple of days is fine too.

PC1 is expensive, but effective if you spray well. Spray everything in the room, including the floor, pots, walls, etc.....you have to figure the mites are everywhere and it's important if you want to eliminate them for good. Spray like your life depends on it, it's important. Everyone has an opinion on this, and there are many threads on the subject. Lastly, don't keep spraying products on top of products, your plants won't react well to it.

thank you for all that info i really appreciate it.

you are right that the mites were not completely eradicated by the neem. i noticed a mite in there today.
you are also right that the flowers are already recovering from the neem.

so.. i hope you're also right about the PC1!! i've got it coming in the mail tomorrow. gonna get a micron fogger and some DE today and go to town as soon as it gets here tomorrow.

thanks for all your help.