Millipedes would migrate indoors from the outside, or invading outdoor potted plants, preferring dark and damp locations, dying in drier areas. Millipedes would primarily feed on dead plant material like fallen leaves and old mulch.
Millipedes aren’t any danger to people, nor do they damage plants. However, not a lot of us like them roaming around indoors! So you might be wondering about solutions, asking, “does need oil kill millipedes in houseplants?” Read on to find out!
Does Neem Oil Kill Millipedes in Houseplants?
Neem oil is a naturally occurring insecticide from the seeds of Indian neem trees. The oils are extracted from tree seeds, sold in pure form or mixed with ingredients for pesticide sprays. This is NOT a poison but has chemical effects that kill off insects, messing with their brains and hormones for them to stop eating and mating, leading to their deaths.
Besides killing pests off, neem oil would repel them, having a slight residual effect so they stay away longer, compared to other organic solutions. You can find neem oil in most physical and online stores where garden pest control products are sold.
Are thy effective on millipedes, to be exact? Yes, neem oil CAN kill millipedes in house plants, among other insects like caterpillars, spider mites, beetles, mealybugs, aphids, white flies, thrips, and more.
With that in mind, they aren’t the quickest acting solution. Neem oil doesn’t kill all bugs right away, taking a few days, weeks, sometimes months for all insects to disappear from your houseplants.
Furthermore, you need to know how to use neem oil properly on your houseplants, so you can kill off pesky millipedes and pests, while still keeping your houseplants healthy. You can do so by following these steps:
- Mix 1 ½ teaspoons of neem oil concentrate with 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap and 1 liter of tepid water. Put them in a spray bottle, shaking it all well. Make sure that the neem oil you use has no harmful chemicals.
- Test on one or two leaves before you use them on the entire houseplant, ensuring there won’t be any damage. Wait for 24 hours.
- Once tested, you can now douse your plant with the neem oil spray, doing so around the leaves, all the nooks and crannies.
- Keep your houseplant away from direct sunlight until all the leaves dry up. Use it every few weeks until you don’t see any of the bugs. You don’t need to spray the plant daily compared to other natural solutions, just be patient and monitor your sprayed houseplants every few days and apply the spray every 1-2 weeks as needed.
Be wary about using neem oil though, as it may kill very young plants and if you apply the oil too heavily. This is why it’s important to mix it with water and to test one area.
Wrapping It Up
When it comes to killing off millipedes from your houseplants, there are actually various ways to do so, with neem oil being one of them. While it may not be the most effective on its own, it’s a natural solution that’s healthy for your home and houseplants. Besides neem oil, there are also other methods you can follow, in case the first method doesn’t work.
I hope that this article answers your question, “does neem oil kill millipedes in houseplants?” Now that you know the answer, learn more about the ways you can eradicate millipedes form your home.