Highlights: 16 Gallons worth can be made (from 16 ounces)

•     Organic/OMRI Certified
•     Must add soap and water
•     No spray bottle included
•     Good Reviews

This brand is organic certified and states they have no additives in their product. Since this is a concentrate you get much more bang for your buck here. The directions state you mix 1 ounce of concentrate per gallon of water (plus your dish soap) which means you’ll have over 16 gallons worth of neem oil product to use in your garden. This is the same application as many other neem oil products that states using every 7 or 14 days depending on need. This brand also has great reviews with 69% of users rating it 5 stars and stating it has indeed worked for them.

Highlights: 16 Gallons worth can be made (from 16 ounces)

•     Organic
•     Must add soap and water
•     No spray bottle included
•     Excellent Reviews

This is another organic 100% neem oil product. This product has excellent reviews with over 70% of users giving it 5 stars and stating it has done wonders in their plants. It is designed to use in a 7 or 14 day cycle like many of the other products listed here. 

Highlights: 16 gallons worth can be made (from 16 ounces)

• OMRI Certified      
• Must add soap and water
• No spray bottle included
• Excellent Reviews

Deepthi Neem oil concentrate is 100% neem oil with no additives. It does require soap and water to be mixed in. It is the same use stated as others with 7 and 14 day use cycles depending on desired results. They are also OMRI certified which they don’t list on the bottle but I did verify through the OMRI website. They have good reviews but less than the other two products I listed. Some reviewers did mention the smell was more intense than other products they have used.

Highlights: 32 gallons worth can be made (from 32 ounces)

• USDA Organic    
• Must add soap and water
• No spray bottle included
• Excellent Reviews

Verdana oil concentrate is 100% neem oil with no additives. It requires soap and water to be mixed in. A unique aspect of this manufacturer is that they have added directions or how to use it on yourself and your pets as well. The product is certified organic which many others are and is also non-gmo certified. Reviews again mention the smell of the product being intense but that is a given with 100% neem oil. 

Highlights:  70% Neem Oil Concentrate

• 16 Gallons can be made
• OMRI certified 
• Good ratings

Safer brand’s neem oil concentrate is really effective and easy to use. I personally do not use this exact product as I prefer to use pure neem oil but I think this is a great second choice. The company, Safer Brand, is committed to using better ingredients in all their products that are safe for families and the environment. This product has good reviews with 69% of raters giving it 5 stars.  

Highlights:  70% Neem Oil Concentrate

• 12 Gallons can be made
• Not OMRI certified 
• Excellent ratings

Bonide Captain Jack’s Neem Oil is a neem oil concentrate that needs just water to mix with it before application. One thing I don’t love about this type of product is the fact the “other ingredients” are not super clear from the label. Typically Neem oil needs something like dish soap to help it spread but this doesn’t due to their other added ingredients but they don’t clearly state what those are. It states its for organic gardening but is not organic/OMRI certified. 

Highlights:  80% Neem Oil Concentrate

• 12 Gallons can be made
• OMRI certified 
• Excellent reviews

This is another concentrate that is not certified organic and does have some other additives in it. The neem oil concentrate is higher than the Bonide Captain Jack’s by 10% so it is possible this solution would be more effective with a content of 80% neem oil versus the 70% in the Bonide Captain Jack’s.

Highlights: 32 Ounces of Solution

• No mixing required
•  OMRI Certified
•  Spray bottle
•  Good Reviews

Safer Brand ready to use spray needs nothing added to it to use directly in your garden. It is designed to be used every 7 to 14 days. Every 7 day use is recommended if you have a current pest or disease issue and then moving to every 14 days for preventive care. This is the same brand as one of the concentrates listed above where I mention I really like this company’s mission and products. This brand has good reviews with 63% of raters giving it 5 stars.

Highlights: 128 Ounces of Solution

• No mixing required
• Not OMRI Certified 
• Spray Nozzle Included
• Good Reviews

This is the pre-made solution from Bonide Captain Jack’s Neem Oil line. The big downside for this brand is that they do not go through the OMRI certification process to guarantee their product is safe for organic garden use but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t safe, just that they choose not to do the work to get certified. It has good reviews with 5 stars from 69% of the raters. 

Highlights: 2 bottles of 24 ounces of solution each

• No mixing required
• OMRI Certified 
• Spray bottle included
• Good Reviews

Natria makes several different ready to use Neem oil products. This is another product that is meant to be used every 7 or 14 days. Their products all work fairly well and most reviewers noted that they did indeed work for both pest and fungal related issues. It was noted that some spray bottles get clogged so it may be best to buy an additional spray bottle or reach back out to the company if that happens to you.

This product is also OMRI certified but they do not list it on their packaging. I also like that this comes in a two pack because you will probably need at least 2 bottles for a small to average sized garden. They have good reviews with 67% of raters giving it 5 stars.

Highlights: 5 pounds

• OMRI Certified
• Ready to use
• Nutrient analysis included on packaging
• Excellent Reviews

Down to earth is an excellent brand and often my go to for products. They are OMRI certified and often go the extra mile with their products and information. I appreciate that this product contains the nutrient analysis which is helpful to know what plants to utilize it on and what fertilizers you can mix it with. They also give directions for dry application and liquid application. The reviews blow every other product on this list out of the water with 83% of raters giving it 5 stars. 

Highlights: 20 pounds

• OMRI Certified
• Ready to use
• Excellent Reviews

Plantonix makes a great product and this neem cake is no different. It is OMRI certified and includes nutrient analysis which, as previously mentioned, is very helpful for garden planning. While you can probably mix this water for liquid use they do not specify that on the package and only outline how to use it in dry applications with soil. 

Highlights: 5 pounds

• Ready to use
• OMRI Certified 
• Good Reviews

This Neem cake fertilizer is geared towards improving overall soil health for plants and that is exactly what this product does. It states it is safe to use with other fertilizers but I would do so sparingly, as over fertilizing your garden/plants does not lead to super plants but likely dead plants. To use this product they state to mix it in with 6 inches of soil and utilize about 25-50% neem cake to soil ratio. It is worth noting I emailed the company about ingredients and did not hear back.

Highlights: 5 pounds

• Ready to use
• Not organic/OMRI certified 
• Good Reviews

This product is a bit unique from many of the others on the market that are also fertilizers. It contains 100% neem seeds, ground and made into a cake-like powder. You can add this water and water plants or your garden with this to become a more systematic treatment for disease and pests. You can also just mix this directly into the soil or medium.

• Immediate pest control
• Treatment of fungal and plant diseases
• Treatment of soil disease
• Disease prevention
• Ongoing pest prevention

Neem oil is such a versatile product and can be used for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is for as a natural insecticide for pest control. It’s very effective in repelling a variety of pests we commonly encounter in the garden including; spider mites, aphids, scale insects, beetle larvae, lacebugs, mealybugs, thrips, whiteflies, fungus gnats, leafhoppers, lawn grubs and nematodes. 

While Neem oil is very powerful and can be very effective in pest management it often needs more than just a singular application to kill pests. UNH discusses in their article that it’s most effective in younger pests and may not kill all adult pests. It is also most effective when used continually so that it can target garden pests full life cycle and stop them from reaching adulthood. 

They also state you could need multiple applications but you want to ensure the pests your struggling with are one of the listed ones because it’s not effective on every garden pest. It can also kill beneficial bugs so you want to ensure you’re targeting the right ones in your garden.The EPA mentioned the same thing and stated its critical to not spray Neem oil directly on honey bees or other beneficial insects as it can harm them.

Yes, the EPA (environmental protection agency) have stated that using Neem oil products on indoor plants, outdoor plants and around pets is safe. You can check out the EPA fact sheet that gives a little more detailed information on cold pressed Neem oil.

They also discuss in a separate article the active ingredient azadirachtin and the other main active ingredient clarified hydrophobic extract. They again state both of these are safe for use on food and non-food crops.

While this is great news it does not mean that using Neem oil comes without risks. Neem oil, like many essential oils, can be harmful when used in the wrong way or without proper safety precautions. The concentrated oil is very powerful and can burn your skin and eyes. It can also burn the leaves of your plants, therefore direct use on very young young plants isn’t recommended, there is some more detail on this aspect below. 

As previously stated it can also harm beneficial insects in your garden so take care when applying it to your plants to avoid ladybugs, their larvae and pollinators. 

You can apply Neem oil in a variety of ways but the most common way is to use a spray and apply it on the needed areas. A foliar spray is the most common, meaning you can spray the product directly on the leaves of the plant. You can apply it to the plants directly and directly to the soil. Depending on your situation will depend on how you choose to apply the Neem oil.

It’s always recommended to spray it in the early morning or evening when insect activity is low so you avoid a majority of the beneficial insects in your garden. It’s also recommended to spray during these times because late afternoon has intense direct sun in most places that can increase the likelihood that the Neem oil will burn your plants. 

If you are dealing with active pests eating the foliage of your plants then you’ll spray your oil directly on the plants and pests. This will disrupt and potentially kill the pests that are sprayed and also stay on the leaves so when they eat the leaves they consume it, causing further damage to the pests. This process could take several applications to get rid of active adult pests. 

Keep in mind you do not want to overuse the Neem oil because it could also cause damage to the plants with overuse, so following the manufactures recommendations is key here. If you are dealing with ongoing pest issues then you can spray the oil on the soil and drench it. Some residual could be soaked up into the plants causing the leaves the be less attractive or even harmful to the pests. It will also get into some of the pests homes that are burrowing in your soil and disrupts them that way.

You can purchase premade Neem oil spray and spray directly from the bottle it’s purchased in, this is obviously the easiest method because it doesn’t require you to mix a solution each time you want to use the product. One good thing beyond the ease of use is that this product will last longer than the concentrate you mix on your own because they add additional things to keep the Neem oil active for longer, unlike making your own concentrate as discussed below.

Alternatively you can purchase a concentrate of pure Neem oil and make your own spray bottle mixture to apply to plants and soil. This method is preferred by many because it’s more cost effective and still a fairly easy process. This method also makes it easier to use organic Neem oil because not all remade mixes utilize organic Neem oil, which is not a deal breaker but important if your goal is organic products and organic gardening. 

One small down side to this method is that Neem oil begins to break down quickly when mixed with water so its not something you can make in bulk and use for several weeks. You’ll have to make smaller batches frequently to ensure the potency and effectiveness of the product. Again this isn’t terrible but slightly less convenient than just having a ready to go bottle that lasts a lot longer.

Lastly you can purchase a Neem fertilizer also called neem cake or neem cakes that is applied directly to the soil of your garden or around your plants. This method is typically more of a preventative measure for both disease and pest control.

You will apply it like other fertilizers and it typically has more than just Neem products in it, so you’ll want to be careful about using other fertilizers as well. You will follow the directions on the packaging but typically you’ll apply a set amount per square foot of cubic meter to your soil and then water to allow it soak in. This process if typically repeated every 4-8 weeks depending on which product you choose.

Other articles online mention the use of Neem powders. I wouldn’t really recommend this because you’ll get better bang for you buck with these other products that I’ve listed. 

Many powders are created and marketed towards consumption or beauty use which make them more expensive. It’s also hard to find a Neem powder meant specifically for gardens. If for some reason you were in a pinch and unable to find Neem oil, spray or cakes you could make a solution from a powder to utilize but I’m unsure of the potency this would yield.

There are a few situations that it’s not a good idea to utilize Neem products for your garden and plants.

Do not use it on very young plants. These plants have very sensitive leaves and Neem oil can burn their foliage and cause extensive damage to them.

Do not use on recently transplanted, stressed or recovering plants. If you have a plant that you recently moved containers, transplanted to the garden or it is recovering from under/over watering then it’s not a good idea to use Neem oil. 

These plants are in a sensitive state and the Neem oil could damage them even more due to their currently weakened state. It’s recommended to wait a least a week to use Neem oil so plants have a chance to adjust or recover.

During the middle of the day in the hot direct sunlight. The sunlight can increase the likelihood that neem oil will damage plants leaves and potentially cause burning. This is not always the case but it’s best to use caution when applying during daylight if you want to achieve the best results from this natural pesticide. 

I am in an area where our summer sun is especially intense so I personally always follow this rule because one, its far too hot in the middle of the day, but it’s also best practice to work in the mornings or early evenings here.