Neem Oil Leaf Burn

Oh no. You thought you were doing your plants good by applying neem oil, then you notice that your leaves are starting to brown, yellow, and fall off. Don't worry, I've been there.

The leaves can be burning because of a couple of reasons...
     a. you put them in the direct sun after you sprayed them
     b. the concentration of neem oil was too high
     c. the plant may just be sensitive

For reason a...
Move your plants out of the direct sun and keep them out of the direct sun until you get all the neem oil off. To remove neem oil, spray your plants with a mixture of water and a little bit of dish soap. Then rinse the plant completely. You may want to cover your soil so you do not get soap or too much water on your plant. Repeat this until you can not smell or feel the neem oil on your plant.

For reason b...
You should be using a concentration of 2 teaspoons of neem oil to one gallon of water. If you use more neem oil than that, it can really damage your plants. Remove the neem oil the same way you would for reason a. Spray your plants with a mixture of water and a little bit of dish soap. Then rinse the plant completely. You may want to cover your soil so you do not get soap or too much water on your plant. Repeat this until you can not smell or feel the neem oil on your plant. Do not reapply neem oil to your plants for a couple of months to make sure they have time to recover. Never just eyeball your neem oil measurement, and make sure that the neem oil is evenly mixed throughout the water.

For reason c...
Some tiny, thin leafed plants have trouble with neem oil. If this is the case, you should probably find an alternative to neem oil. To try and save your plant, wash the plant off and remove it from direct sun until it recovers. If the plant looks like it is about to meet its end, take a cutting from it and try to propagate it. The new growth should come back healthy!

Leaf burn on Desert Rose

Leaf Burn on Flowering Maple

Leaf Burn on Firetails Chenille

Neem oil is great to use for pest prevention in your home. Do not let the thought of leaf burn stop you from using need oil. Leaf burn can happen with any insecticide, miticide or plant oil. Neem oil is a great alternative to these products because it is non-toxic. Whatever you use for pest prevention, make sure to read the label to know what you are spraying. While the front label of the bottle may make it seem safe, you will often find a ton of warnings on the back. Make sure to use products that you feel comfortable having in your home.

If you have a problem with the way neem oil smells, try spraying it outside or in your garage and let your plant sit there for a while. The smell will not stick to your plant and smell up your house after it drys.

Good Luck!

Lily's Indoor Jungle