Question
Hi Jeff,

I am currently fighting an aphid infestation that came in from a plant trade. I have been using my own mix of neem oil, castile soap, and water in order to fight these pests. The infestation has been dramatically reduced so far, but this mixture makes my plants dry out and look awful for a few weeks.
I have two questions for you relating to this.

1. Do you know of a safer emulsifier than soap to use on such sprays for carnivorous plants?

2. More recently, I have been using only water and neem oil. The spray still has an odor to it, but since the oil is not mixing completely, I was wondering if you think this would still be effective?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

Answer
Hi Derek,

There are some additives, spreader/sticker products sold at garden centers.  Probably the easiest thing to do, however, is just find a Neem product that is already mixed for this purpose.  Here's an example:  http://www.epesthero.com/products/spreader-sticker-adjuvant-surfactant-makes-ins

The effectiveness is diminished if it's not emulsified.  It's questionable how much of it actually makes contact with the insects.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com