Neem Oil Overdose

[MedResearcher]

I spotted a couple leaves with spider mite eggs on them. So I mixed up my normal Neem Oil, SM-90, Dish Soap, foliar spray. Although I used a Tablespoon to measure instead of a Teaspoon....

So the mixture had 3x the recomended amount of neem oil in it. I sprayed the plants with this mixture, both sides of the leaves, twice within 3 days.....

At first it seemed fine, except I noticed the leaves were extraordinarily shiny and the concrete floor felt a bit oily.

Around day 4 I noticed some of the strains were damaged from the Neem oil overdose. Its now day 6 and the damage has got worst. It still seems there is some new growth, but it has slowed.


My question is, do you guys think I should just ride it out, hope the neem oil slowly wears off and the new growth replaces the damaged leaves ?

Or

Should I maybe try to rinse some of the oil off with some warm water in the sprayer ?


Tks

MR ^^

 

[MapleMonk]

- Should I maybe try to rinse some of the oil off with some warm water in the sprayer ?

imo yes !

 

[bartender187]

- Should I maybe try to rinse some of the oil off with some warm water in the sprayer ?

imo yes !

If it already damaged, I doubt rinsing the old leaves is going to help much.

I quit using neem-oil for that exact reason... Quiet the pain to spray every leaf then have to rinse it off > <

Floramite > mites ... but I wouldn't spray it / anything on flowering plants... that is just me tho. Some friends I know used Azatrol mid way through flowering plants (res supplement)... It worked,,, i smoked the bud, I am still alive... but I would never do it to a grow of mine.

 

[MedResearcher]

The plants are still in veg. I am bummed though because I would have been putting them in flower any day now, but now I am gonna have to wait until they seem healthy again.

 

[MickTheBrag]

sounds like you sprayed during lights on and burned your plants cause the solution magnified the lights power. and the neem oil was'nt the problem. sounds more like it. try spraying when lights go off.

 

[mikecar312]

can someone explain or show a picture of what a neem oil overdose looks like? thanks.

 

[superjoint]

If it already damaged, I doubt rinsing the old leaves is going to help much.

I quit using neem-oil for that exact reason... Quiet the pain to spray every leaf then have to rinse it off > <

Floramite > mites ... but I wouldn't spray it / anything on flowering plants... that is just me tho. Some friends I know used Azatrol mid way through flowering plants (res supplement)... It worked,,, i smoked the bud, I am still alive... but I would never do it to a grow of mine.

What i think might have happened is they were covered in neem and couldint breathe, did you have anyair flow or air movement? or did they just soak up the neem, when i spray with air or a fan on em ,this wont happen, other wise the can turn all black and dry up, and get a sickly dark green,,

 

[MedResearcher]

sounds like you sprayed during lights on and burned your plants cause the solution magnified the lights power. and the neem oil was'nt the problem. sounds more like it. try spraying when lights go off.

I always foliar with the lights off, as well as make sure the excess moisture is gone before the lights turn back on.

The problem was I used 6 tablespoons of neem to 1 gallon of water, instead of 6 teaspoons.

What i think might have happened is they were covered in neem and couldint breathe, did you have anyair flow or air movement? or did they just soak up the neem, when i spray with air or a fan on em ,this wont happen, other wise the can turn all black and dry up, and get a sickly dark green,,

I think your right, I do have tons of airflow but just the sheer amount of Neem Oil sprayed onto the leaves is choking them or not allowing them to transpire properly. The damage looks exactly how you described. I sprayed them with warm water to hopefully remove some of the excess oil... they look like they were coming around anyways though.

can someone explain or show a picture of what a neem oil overdose looks like? thanks.

Turn all black and dry up, and get a sickly dark green. Honestly though I have never had this happen until now. I love neem oil, and I still love it, problem was my measuring spoons measurements are worn off. So being lazy, I grabbed the one I thought was a teaspoon and went for it..... lesson learned.... buy new measuring spoons. lol

 

[stinkyattic]

The issue isn't anything to do with lights on or off; it has more to do with the fact that a heavy neem app is a oily film that has the potential to actually PHYSICALLY CLOG the stomata on the leaves, and death follows from suffocation when the plants can no longer exchange gases or moisture with the surrounding air. Once the necrosis begins, rinsing won't help.

I would use restraint in watering, decrease light intensity (these things will slow transpiration), and just hope that they recover by producing new growth quickly enough to replace the damaged foliage.

 

[mikecar312]

i was told that cold pressed neem (einstein oil or dyna-grow) doesn't clog up the stomata. i'm unclear on the rinsing off of the oil. am i suppose to rinse off the neem 30 mins after i apply or can i wait until the next day? if i don't rinse, i assume that it will lead to an overdose?

 

[stinkyattic]

I have a hard time with that. ANY horticultural oil product has the potential to clog stomata when overapplied. Perhaps a higher-quality neem may be applied at a heavier rate than a low one; I don't know.
The trick is finding the sweet spot, where you have applied enough to be effective without damaging the plant. Rinsing IMVHO is not a viable option, since oil and water are not miscible and litte, if any, should come off the leaves with a rinse. I always use the FINEST mist applicator I can find, mist, let dry, mist, repeat until the appearance of the leaves is visibly glossy, but not shiny- like the difference between a 'satin' and 'hi-gloss' paint finish. You want SATIN lol!

 

[damakkus]

When you add that much neem and other additives I believe you created a magnifying glass which I would think, dry out your plants when in the light? I could be wrong.

Your leafs are curled under?

Apply neem at 1 tablespoon per gallon of water.

And if you see some spider mite eggs, stay calm, Panic if you see your entire bud swallowed up in silk.

GROW UNITED

 

[stinkyattic]

To create a magnifying glass you must have a lentil shape. Neem creates a thin, greasy film. Water droplets from sprays with no surfactants will create magnifying effects in intense light, but neem won't.

 

[Pig-Pen]

I would advise heavily rinsing with water 1-2 times a day, even dunk them in water if it's feasible. (Water alone will kill mites rather easily.)

The fact that you applied it twice within 3 days is where you really went wrong, especially if you knew it was too heavy of a mix. IME most plants respond negatively if neemed more than once every 5-7 days, and that's with a proper mixture and rinsing in between.