• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

DF Kratky Experiment Glog

wiA353U.jpg
 
Looks awesome! Are you still fighting the aphid battle? I am, just trying to keep them at bay until I can get them outside into the greenhouse where I can release a bunch of ladybugs to help get rid of them.
 
Keep checking, see a few then squeeze them, only on the Cheiro Roxa plant. I have the jar outside, went up to  +10c today, just to change things up. Def will try and collect lady bugs this year.
:)
 
Your plant carnage was most likely due to the soapy water dunk.  More than 15-20 minutes dunking in any liquid is not only unnecessary, but most likely, highly damaging.  You don't want to oxygen deprive plants for so long!
.
Also...  I missed what you used for soap/detergent, but that damage is completely inline with the kind of damage that occurs from stripping leaf wax and oils.  It effectively negates the immune system.
.
Neem can, and arguably should, where pests are a problem, be applied once every 1-2 weeks.  You are missing some eggs somewhere, and until you've disrupted every last one of their reproductive cycles, the nightmare will not end. 
.
What are you emulsifying your Neem oil with?
 
 
You didn't mention how you mixed and applied the Neem. 
.
Neem is great stuff if used properly, and damn near useless, if not.
 
Neem is particularly ineffective when you don't emulsify.  I know that you read tons of stuff online that says you just mix it with water.  But it's an oil.  And as such, it's first priority is to reconstitute into a glob, that floats on top of a less dense liquid.
.
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-Pure-Castile-Liquid-Soap/dp/B00120VWJ0/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=dr%2Bbronners%2Bpeppermint&qid=1555016282&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1  <--- Dr. Bronners w/peppermint essential oil extract
.
If you use this mixed with Neem at a ratio of 2 Tbsp Neem to 1 Tbsp soap, per gallon of water, you'll find that it's about 10000 times more effective.  Also...  make sure that the Neem is warm beforehand.  I like to mix the soap and Neem in a separate container first, get it well emulsified, and then add it slowly into the water.
.
I use the stuff at least once every 2 weeks in the summer.  If not, I get overrun with aphids, broadmite, and whitefly.
 
 
dragonsfire said:
Dish soap as emulsifier.
Click to expand...
 
Dish soap should only be used as a last resort, and then, as sparingly as possible.
.
I'd definitely try (and am trying) to talk you out of using "dish soap" (which is not a soap at all) on ANY plant, ever.
.
It's also super important to make sure that the leaves get 8 hours of rest and are completely dry, before light touches them after application of Neem.  Or, phytotoxicity occurs...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top