Neem

[NYEric]

Does anyone know if Neem can be heated in the microwave to liquify the solid oil?

 

[paphioboy]

Erm, can't you add a bit of hot water, a few drops of dishwash to emulsify it and give it a good shake..?

 

[NYEric]

I'd have too boil a whole pot of water to sit the neem bottle in. If I can microwave it it will save time.

 

[Shiva]

I simply put it in a bowl of hot water and pour in more hot water as needed until it liquifies.

 

[Kavanaru]

Neem oil should be volatile... but you can try the microwave and let us know about the results oke:

(use gloves and eye protection!) :evil:

 

[NYEric]

Volatiel! Really!? :evil:

 

[goldenrose]

I'd have too boil a whole pot of water to sit the neem bottle in. If I can microwave it it will save time.

why do you have to heat the whole bottle? why not just take a teaspoon/tablespoon put it in a shot glass & follow shiva's suggestion.

I simply put it in a bowl of hot water and pour in more hot water as needed until it liquifies.

 

[NYEric]

Because the oil is solid in the bottle!

 

[Kavanaru]

Put hot water in the sink and place the bottle in it... it works for honey... it should work for Neem Oil too...

 

[orcoholic]

NY,

I've always just sat the container in a sink filled with hot water, as suggested by Kavanaru.

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

Please don't microwave it. I just don't see it working out well.

 

[likespaphs]

Please don't microwave it. I just don't see it working out well.

maybe ask these guys?
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=is+it+a+good+idea+to+microwave+this&aq=0

 

[cnycharles]

overheating the oil would also probably nullify the chemicals that make it work and break it down somewhat. if you don't use it in a certain period of time or don't store it properly it is supposed to lose it's effectiveness as well. maybe sit the bottle (glass?) in a bucket of hot water, then pour the stuff into an old ketchup or shampoo squeeze bottle?

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I simply gave up on neem because it never did anything.

 

[Jim Toomey]

I thought it suffocates the little buggers... No?

 

[NYEric]

Neem is an antiparasitic and disturbs reproduction in insects. i ended up boiling water and sitting the bottle in the water off the burner.

 

[Ray]

Charles is correct - heating it degrades the azadirachtin, the active ingredient. Heat it too much or often, and it becomes merely a stinky oil, that will only suffocate bugs, as Jim suggested.

I keep mine refrigerated to prolong the shelf life, but before doing so, pour it into a wide-mouth container so I can scoop out a lump of the gelled material for adding to warm (not hot) water with some soap.

 

[paphioboy]

I simply gave up on neem because it never did anything

That's odd.. I find neem oil most useful against scales and mealybugs. And makes the leaves shiny too..

 

[goldenrose]

Because the oil is solid in the bottle!

:sob: hmmm .... it's 66 degrees in my kitchen right now where my neem is stored. How warm is your apartment? I have the smallest bottle & I can get a regular dinner knife in the bottle & removed the desired amount, then follow above suggestions. Eric watering your plants is a much more timing consuming project than removing thickened neem from the bottle!

 

[NYEric]

Rose, there are only 25 hours in my days! Lp