The label is the law. Read your product's label before you mix or apply; the rates here come from the labels listed under Sources.
- Active ingredient
- Clarified hydrophobic extract of neem oil
- Chemical class
- Botanical oil. Azadirachtin is its most active insect-controlling component and can be extracted; what remains is clarified hydrophobic neem oil, made of fatty acids and glycerides.[1]
- Mode of action
- IRAC Group UNE: Botanical essence (unknown or uncertain mode of action)[3]
- Signal word
- Neem Oil 70% (homeowner sublabel; also sold as Triact 70 and Trilogy): Caution[2]
How it works
Azadirachtin reduces insect feeding, repels insects and interferes with their hormones so they have trouble growing and laying eggs; other components of the oil kill insects by hindering their feeding.[1]
Against fungal disease and mites, the label says neem oil prevents fungal attack of plant tissue and acts on mites by contact, so thorough coverage is necessary.[2]
Mixing it so it works
The oil must form a uniform, cloudy emulsion; very cold water keeps it from mixing well, so start with a half-full tank of water and keep the mix agitated while spraying.[2]
Azadirachtin breaks down quickly: its half-life on leaves is 1 to 2.5 days and in water 48 minutes to 4 days.[1]
Where it is used
The homeowner label covers roses, flowers, houseplants, ornamental trees and shrubs, fruits, nuts, vegetables and home lawns, can be used up to the day of harvest, and also works as a dormant or delayed-dormant spray against overwintering insect eggs.[2]
Do not apply to wilted or stressed plants or new transplants, and test first on impatiens, fuchsia and hibiscus flowers, some roses, ornamental olive trees and some carnations.[2]
Spray early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce leaf burn, and do not add spreaders, stickers or other adjuvants.[2]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neem Oil 70% (homeowner sublabel; also sold as Triact 70 and Trilogy)[2] | Certis USA, LLC | 70051-2 | 70.0% | emulsifiable oil | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neem Oil 70% (homeowner sublabel; also sold as Triact 70 and Trilogy) | Fruits, vegetables, herbs, roses, houseplants, flowers, trees and shrubs: insects and mites | Aphids, spider mites, scale, whiteflies, beetles, leafrollers | 2–4 tbsp per gal water[2] 2 to 4 tablespoons (1 to 2 fl oz) per gallon, or 0.5 to 1 tablespoon per quart. Every 7 to 14 days; weekly for heavy populations. Wet every surface, including leaf undersides, and keep shaking the mix as you spray. |
| Neem Oil 70% (homeowner sublabel; also sold as Triact 70 and Trilogy) | Same plants: fungal disease | Black spot, powdery mildew, rust, downy mildew, anthracnose, scab, botrytis | 2 tbsp per gal water[2] 2 tablespoons (1 fl oz) per gallon. Preventive sprays every 7 to 14 days; if disease is present, weekly until it stops, then every 14 days. |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- Avoid getting it on your skin, in your eyes or on your clothing; it is harmful if absorbed through the skin and moderately irritating to the eyes.[2]
- Wash with soap and water after handling and before eating, drinking or using tobacco, and wash contaminated clothing before wearing it again.[2]
2. Before you spray
- Don't spray wilted or stressed plants, or new transplants before their roots are established.[2]
- Test it first on sensitive plants such as impatiens, fuchsia and hibiscus flowers, some roses, ornamental olive trees and some carnations, and check a small area of tender plants for leaf burn.[2]
- Plan to spray in early morning or late evening to cut the risk of leaf burn, and never while bees are actively visiting the plants.[2]
3. Mixing
- Shake the bottle well. For insects and mites, mix 2 to 4 tablespoons (1 to 2 fl oz) per gallon of water, or 0.5 to 1 tablespoon per quart; for plant diseases, the label uses 2 tablespoons per gallon.[2]
- Don't add dish soap, spreaders, stickers or other adjuvants; the label forbids them. Keep the mix agitated as you spray, and don't use very cold water (below 34°F) in a hose-end sprayer.[2]
4. Applying
- Spray at the first sign of insects or mites, wetting every plant surface, including the undersides of leaves, until completely wet.[2]
- Repeat every 7 to 14 days, or every 7 days for heavy infestations; for diseases already present, spray every 7 days until they're under control, then every 14 days.[2]
5. After you spray
- Rinse the sprayer over the treated area so the washwater doesn't run off toward drains or water.[2]
First aid
- On skin or clothing, take off contaminated clothing and rinse skin with plenty of water for 15 to 20 minutes.[2]
- In the eyes, hold them open and rinse slowly and gently for 15 to 20 minutes, removing contact lenses after the first 5 minutes; call a poison control center or doctor for advice, or the label's hotline at 1-800-255-3924.[2]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Keep it tightly sealed in the original container in a dry place out of direct sunlight, and don't store it below 40°F.[2]
- Triple-rinse the empty container, adding the rinse water to your sprayer, before disposing of it.[2]
From the safety data sheet
- The product is a brown liquid with a citrus-garlic odor, containing 70 percent clarified hydrophobic extract of neem oil, with a flash point of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.[4]
- Keep it in the original, tightly sealed container in a dry place out of direct sunlight, away from feed and food, and don't store it below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.[4]
- Don't let drift or rinse water from cleaning equipment reach water sources.[4]
- It is slightly irritating to skin and minimally irritating to eyes.[4]
- It is hazardous to fish and toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment, so don't spray while bees are visiting the plants.[4]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
The label signal word is CAUTION: harmful if absorbed through the skin and causes moderate eye irritation. NPIC says neem oil can be slightly irritating to eyes and skin, no link to cancer has been found, and its non-azadirachtin parts are fatty acids and other substances common in food.[2][1]
Pets
In other countries neem oil used on cats for fleas has caused drooling, sluggishness, trembling and convulsions, and some cats died; this product is a plant spray, not a pet treatment.[1][2]
Bees and pollinators
The label says it is toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment and must not be applied while bees are actively visiting. NPIC adds that neem oil is practically non-toxic to bees, because insects generally must eat treated plants to be killed.[2][1]
Fish and water
Neem oil is slightly toxic to fish and aquatic organisms, and its component azadirachtin is moderately toxic; keep spray and rinse water out of drains and surface water.[1][2]
Common questions
- How much neem oil per gallon of water?
- For insects and mites, 2 to 4 tablespoons per gallon; for fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, 2 tablespoons per gallon.[2]
- Does clarified neem oil kill insects?
- This clarified neem oil product is registered as an insecticide and miticide as well as a fungicide, for aphids, spider mites, scale, whiteflies and other pests.[2]
- Can I spray neem oil on vegetables I will pick soon?
- Yes. The label allows use up to the day of harvest.[2]
- Can neem oil burn leaves?
- Yes, like other oils. Spray early morning or late evening, avoid stressed plants and test sensitive plants first.[2]
Sources
- National Pesticide Information Center, “Neem Oil General Fact Sheet.” npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Neem Oil 70% label, EPA Reg. No. 70051-2 (EPA-stamped, June 2, 2023).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/070051-00002-20230602.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Insecticide Resistance Action Committee, “IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme, Version 11.5 (Feb. 2026).” irac-online.org/documents/moa-classification/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Voluntary Purchasing Groups, Inc. (Ferti-lome), “Natural Guard Brand by Ferti-lome Neem Safety Data Sheet (Voluntary Purchasing Groups, EPA Reg. No. 70051-2-7401, a distributor product of the same 70% neem oil registration, issued May 15, 2015; copy hosted by distributor DoMyOwn).” www.domyown.com/msds/Neem-SDS.pdf (accessed 2026-10-16)