Neem is a beneficial substance in gardening. Products made using neem oil, or neem solids can be very useful as a natural pesticide, a soil amendment, and even neem cake fertilizer.
Where Do Neem Products Come From?
Neem oil and neem cakes are products that come from the neem tree, which is native to southeastern countries such as India, Burma, and Sri Lanka.
Additionally, Australia farmed Neem to make pesticides, but it has become invasive and is now considered a pest. [source]
The neem tree is a multi-useful plant commonly nicknamed “the village pharmacy” in India because of the many medicinal, personal care, household, yard, and garden products made from its components.
The leaves, bark, and seeds of this tree contain a wide variety of compounds used in the creation of natural products that are:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antipyretic
- Antifungal
- Antiseptic
- Antiviral
In addition to these properties, neem products also contain a natural pesticide called Azadirachtin Indica.
In the plants’ native countries, their pesticide properties are well known, and neem oil is commonly used in natural organic gardening and farming products. [source]
What Is A Neem Cake?
Neem oil is extracted from neem seeds. Prepared and processed in various ways, Neem oil is useful in medicinal products, personal care products, and as an insecticide.
After extracting the oil, what is left is neem seed cake. This product has many uses in the garden and is valuable as a nourishing soil amendment that protects against nematodes.
As a natural fertilizer, neem cake is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In addition to these nutrients, it contains pesticide components, nortriterpenoids, and isoprenoids, making it an excellent defense against nematodes.
Neem Cakes Are Versatile
Neem is an affordable, effective soil amendment used in a wide variety of farm, lawn, and gardening industries, including:
- Commercial agriculture
- Turf and lawn care
- Horticulture
- Floriculture
In all of these industries, neem is a very positive addition as both an organic fertilizer providing tremendous amounts of micro and macronutrients and a safe, natural nematicide.
Why is it Better to Use Cakes of Neem than Chemicals?
One tremendous benefit of neem is that it has no heavy metals. This makes it a very safe product to use on food crops. Natural neem is biodegradable. It does not pollute soil, air, or waterways. It poses no threat to beneficial fauna.
Use Neem cake on its own to provide valuable nourishment for plants of all sorts while defending the roots of plants against many different types of nematodes, including:
- Citrus nematodes
- Tomato nematodes
- Root-knot nematodes
It is also compatible with a wide array of fertilizers of different sorts, and you can safely combine it with any other commercial horticultural or agricultural product.
Is Neem Cake Dangerous for People, Pets, or Livestock?
When used as directed, neem cakes and other neem products are very safe for use around people and animals of all sorts. Therefore, neem is a good choice for use in both home and agricultural food production.
Neem Cake is a Good Investment in Your Garden’s Health
Neem is naturally slow-released, so rather than providing a one-time boost of nourishment or pest protection to plants (as with chemical products), neem cake offers a steady, long-term supply of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus along with ongoing systemic pest protection.
The fact that the nourishment provided by neem cakes is slow release and long-term makes using this product very thrifty. A single, generous application of caked neem can last throughout your growing season and even help start your new season with nourishing, pest repelling soil.
Chemical fertilizers add short-term bursts of nutrients to the soil. They do not improve the quality of the soil. Natural, biodegradable neem cakes enhance the quality of soil and add to its structure.
Healthy soil encourages the proliferation of beneficial fauna such as earthworms, which are not negatively impacted by the pesticide qualities of neem. However, Neem’s, pesticide, antiviral and antifungal qualities negatively impact pests such as nematodes and many pathogens.
The use of neem cake improves the soil’s water holding capacity. It also helps to improve air circulation within the soil. One application can lead to an increased crop yield of as much as 15% to 25%.
Even so, it’s a good idea to use caked neem throughout the growing season. Introducing this product early in the season provides maximum protection against plant pathogens and nematodes. In addition, keeping your soil amended with neem offers ongoing protection.
In addition to imparting nematicidal properties to the soil, consistent use of neem cake will also provide the plants’ roots with these properties. Plants grown from a very early stage in soil enriched with neem develop systemic resistance to nematodes and plant pathogens.
Neem Cakes Breakdown Enriching Soil Even More
The decomposition process introduces these natural, organic acids into the soil:
- Carbohydrates
- Amino acids
- Free sulfur
- Fatty acids
- Aldehyde
- Ketones
This means that your soil will not be as alkaline, and this is a bonus.
Additionally, as neem cake decomposes, it helps support beneficial microbes in the soil, including parasitic microbes that prey upon nematodes.
Because of these positive properties, consistent use of neem cakes can sharply reduce the nematode population in your soil.
How Do You Use Neem Cake?
Neem Granules
It is common to find neem cake offered as granules for use as a soil amendment. In its granular form, it contains the most azadirachtin of any granular neem product.
Neem Powder
This soil amendment is also available in a powdered form. This form has very high calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, and nitrogen levels. The powdered form is excellent for boosting crop growth and encouraging high yield.
Neem Cake “Manure”
You may also find a product called neem cake manure. This product is also excellent at increasing crop yield, and it is a great pest repellent.
All neem “cake” products are intended to be added as soil amendments when preparing the soil before sowing seeds. Begin by simply tilling or plowing the soil very deeply. Then add the neem product you choose and till again.
Mixing the products thoroughly into the soil can ensure the most impact against nematodes and the most effective fertilizer enrichment.
Plowing the soil deeply also acts to disrupt nematodes physically. This is an integral part of getting the most effective nematode control from your addition of neem cake.
You can add neem cake products as top or side dressing, throughout the growing season.
How Much Neem Cakes Should You Use?
The amount you use for any given application will vary from one product to another. Therefore, always read the instructions carefully and follow them closely.
Neem is an Important Component of Integrated Pest Management
Because neem is compatible with all sorts of fertilizer and pest management products, it is an excellent addition to any Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.
Neem is compatible with chemical fertilizer, and it is not a good idea to switch suddenly from chemical fertilizer to neem cake. If you plan on phasing out chemical fertilizer use, do so gradually by adding neem cake and slowly withdrawing chemical fertilizers.