How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants?

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Neem oil is a well-known organic and all-natural insecticide and fungicide.

Not only does it protect your plants, but it also has numerous benefits.

If you are growing tomatoes, you know those plants are susceptible to fungal or bacterial infections and pesky pests.

Therefore, it’s essential to know how to use neem oil on tomato plants. We will show you how to use neem oil on tomato plants in an elaborative 8-steps guide.

You can use neem oil as a spray and a soil drench to keep your plant healthy and all diseases at bay. Besides that, neem oil has countless benefits and wide applications.

Keep reading to find out how to use neem oil on tomato plants.

Let’s begin!

How to Use Neem Oil on Tomato Plants?

Here are the steps.

Step 1: Buy Concentrate of Cold-Pressed Neem Oil

In the following steps, we will show you how to make and use neem oil on tomato plants to get the most effective results.

• The first thing you need to do is to purchase a good quality concentrate of neem oil from any supermarket.
• This cold-pressed neem oil will later be diluted using water and soap.

You can buy a pre-made neem oil spray, but we have observed that mixing your own spray proves more effective against mites.

Step 2: Organic Dishwasher

Since the neem oil is concentrated, you must dilute it with water.

• An organic liquid dish soap is added to help create a thorough oil and water solution.
• Not only does it allow the water and oil to mix well, but it also increases the solution’s efficacy.
• The liquid dishwasher is a very effective insecticide and fungicide on its own.
• Remember to choose an organic dishwasher so as not to damage plants. A peppermint dishwasher will be a bonus since the essential oils are good against mites.

Now, move to the next step.

Step 3: Buy a Garden Hose or Water Sprayer

Next, you will need a good quality garden sprayer.

• Buying a one-gallon-sized container will suffice.
• Neem oil has a short shelf life after diluting, so all the mixture needs to be consumed within an hour after it has been prepared.
• It will only be good for one hour, so do not make more than you need.

It is best practice to buy all the needed materials beforehand.

Step 4: Identify the Infestation

Throughout the growing stage of tomato plants, be extra careful and examine thoroughly for any signs of infestation.

• If you are growing tomato plants indoors, then they are more likely to develop fungus or attract other pests.
• Even when there is no infestation, you can still use this mixture on the plants to prevent pest attacks or the growth of fungus and bacteria.
• Spray the plants as soon as any signs of infestation start appearing. It will help control the spread of infestation to other plants.

For the fifth step…

Step 5: Get Rid of Decaying Leaves

When the tomato plant is infested, its leaves start to dry and curl up, creating the perfect shelter for pests to hide and reproduce.

• Removing the plant’s decaying or dead leaves would be best to avoid this.
• Dead foliage also sucks the essential nutrients away from plants’ bodies, so it is necessary to get rid of them.
• Leaving the dead foliage will inhibit the growth of plants, and it will also decrease the efficiency of the neem oil mixture.
• The dead foliage will get in the way and hinder the spray from reaching all parts properly.

Therefore, it is better to prune the dead parts of the plant.

Related article: Why Are My Tomatoes So Small? (With Four Solutions!)

Step 6: Measuring the Amount of Spray

We have created a simple chart for your ease in determining the amount of spray required for the tomato plants.

This chart shows the quantity of spray in gallons needed per number of plants:

Number of Plants	Quantity of Spray
1–4 Plants	1/2 Gallon
5–9	1 Gallon
10+	2 Gallons

If you accidentally use too much spray on your tomato plants, then don’t worry!

Instead of washing it away with water, let it sit on the plant, which will dry out in a few hours.

Step 7: Quantity of Ingredients in Spray

Even though you don’t necessarily have to measure the exact quantity of ingredients before making the mixture, for your help, we have created a chart.

This chart will give you the correct proportion of ingredients to produce various quantities of the mixture.

Water	Neem Oil	Liquid Soap
1/2 Gallon	1 Tablespoon	2 Teaspoons
1 Gallon	2 Tablespoons	1 Tablespoon
2 Gallons	4 Tablespoons	2 Tablespoons

You will probably need to spray neem oil on tomato plants more than once, so it is best practice to keep a chart.

Mark the days and the number of times you sprayed the tomato plants. Based on the gravity of the infestation, you will have to increase the frequency of spraying.

Step 8: Apply the Spray Within an Hour of Dilution

We suggest spraying the tomato plants immediately after you have created the spray mixture.

• The chemicals in neem oil will start disintegrating after it is mixed with water and soap. It will reduce the efficiency of the spray and render it ineffective.
• If you created more than necessary spray for the plants and it has been sitting out for over 12 hours, then refrain from using it. It is best to avoid this neem oil spray on tomato plants, but it can still be used as a soil drench.
• Spray the plants early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
• Avoid spraying during the peak sun hours of noon. Avoid spraying if the weather is too windy.
• Make sure to spray from every angle and direction to cover the whole plant and reach every part.
• Instead of throwing the leftover mixture, use it as a soil drench.

That’s all!

Now you know how to use neem oil on tomato plants.

Here’s a video regarding the topic that you might find helpful:

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Conclusion

Growing plants require a great deal of care.

Plants with fruits and vegetables are much more likely to fall prey to pests. High humidity, non-seasonal harvest, and indoor growing plants contribute to pest infestation.

We have shared step-by-step instructions on how to use neem oil on tomato plants to keep them healthy and ensure good growth.

I hope you liked today’s article.

Regards!