Neem Cake: Magic organic fertilizer and pesticide
What is Neem Cake?
Neem cake is an organic manure which comes as a by-product in the process of cold pressing of neem tree fruits and kernels. This can also be found as residue in the solvent extraction process for neem oil cake.
Neem Cake as a Fertilizer:
Neem cake is completely organic fertilizer that contains 100% natural NPK content and other micronutrients essential for plant growth. Below are the major components found in Neem Cake.
- N(Nitrogen 2.0% to 5.0%)
- P(Phosphorus 0.5% to 1.0%)
- K(Potassium 1.0% to 2.0%)
- Ca(Calcium 0.5% to 3.0%)
- Mg(Magnesium 0.3% to 1.0%)
- S(Sulphur 0.2% to 3.0%)
- Zn(Zinc 15 ppm to 60 ppm)
- Cu(Copper 4 ppm to 20 ppm)
- Fe (Iron 500 ppm to 1200 ppm)
- Mn (Manganese 20 ppm to 60 ppm)
- Sulphur compounds and bitter limonoids
Neem Cake is helpful in all the aspects of plant growth such as:
- Improving the general appearance of fruits & vegetables
- Good for the foliage plants as provides growth to the leaves
- Strengthens the roots
- Helps in blossoming the flowers
- Helps in overall growth of the plant
Neem Cake as Pesticide:
Neem cake is not just a good organic fertilizer but also a good pesticide as well. Neem cake contains a high amount of Azadirachtin content which makes it a natural pesticide that protects our plants from parasitic nematodes.
It can also be used as a soil conditioner. If we mix it in the soil while planting a plant, it can repel multiple pests, fungus, bacterias and insects available in the soil.
Application of Neem Cake:
1 kg of the Neem Cake is sufficient for 10 to 15 sq. metre area. Area can be a soil bed or a cumulative area of multiple pots.
