New Vegetable plots for beginners (ME!)

Neem oil: you can buy this, which I do, since making my own Neem product from the leaves was too much hassle. Mixed with Chilli, garlic and so on confuses the insects' sense of smell. It also confuses my sense of smell as it really smells bad. However the next time you water, the effect will be gone. You can try Neem: 'Bai Sadaou', Bye sadow or whatever.

Cold pressing Neem seed? We have a few Neem trees around but I can't see myself clambering into the trees to collect seeds and pressing a year's supply in advance.

The whole village was amused when they heard that I was making my own Bai Sadaou ticyture, they thought I was too miserly to buy something that gives you cancer to do a good job of it.

For a lasting effect you can try this:

Take neem seeds and crush them, then add to the substrate about 5-10 cm deep.

The plants will take up some parts of the neem and this alone protects against a lot of insects.

Commercially available are the rests of pressing the oil out of the seeds and these are sold only for this purpose at around € 15.- per kg!

Bye,

Derk