NEEM oil

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Has anyone seen this for sale on the island and if so, where? I want to try it as a pesticide against cochineal and other scale pests.
Thanks in anticipation.

[spitfire58]

Never even heard of it Tamara. What is it ?

[calculator]

U could try the agricultural shop on the bottom end of Secondino Alonso in Puerto.

Most likely he'll have it. If not just stock up on the pesticide Dursban or similar. Laws have tightened up on sale of such products but we've never been questioned.

He's fairly ill-mannered and the backend of the shop is protected by a savage dog, so don't go wandering around!

[gilbeth]

Neem oil can also be used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasiis It might be worth looking in  a natural health shop. There is an excellent one in Puerto Del Rosairo near the Red Cross Centre

[FRY]

I don't know about NEEM oil, but Cochineal was once the main-stay of the Island.
Cultivated mainly around Triquivijate. Read the history here, some research I did a few years ago:

http://frankyoung77.tripod.com/triquivijate/id13.html

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Neem oil, mixed with washing up liquid and then diluted with warm water, is apparently a good, natural pesticide, especially for cochineal and various scale pests.
I've tried Dafene Progress and Fertiberia, both from the agri shop in Puerto (near the Correos office, possibly the shop mentioned above?) with no success. The product they sold me last year worked well (I forget it's name) but they will only sell it to people with a commercial licence now.
The cochineal population has exploded in Tindaya this year, not surprising as most locals have prickly pear as the only plants in their gardens!  They make a drink out of the fruit, probably alcoholic! or a jam.
Amazingly the goats happily eat the cactus plant itself despite all the prickles.
What is lovely is pieces of old dead plants that have been left to weather - the green flesh disappears and all that is left is a hard network of fibres - a bit like a loofah - which can make interesting ornamental features.
Thanks for the suggestions of where I might get some Neem oil - I'll give them a try.

[pat2u]

If you cannot get any I'm coming over end of September and will bring some over for you. I use it mixed with lamp oil for mosquitos, pesticide as you've said and mixed with coconut oil for insects biting you for your hair and skin  it seem to have many uses. The down side is the smell.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Thank you Pat, that is so kind. I'll continue looking and update this thread.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Purchased a 1L bottle of Neem oil in the Agri shop in Puerto today under the Trade Name of TROMIN. Not cheap, it was 40â,¬ but the guy in the shop said the NEEM branded product retailed at 80â,¬ !! Just hope it does the job!
As the dilution is 10-15ml to 5L of water it should go a long way for the money.
Really helpful in this shop although it helps to research a few appropriate words/terms in Spanish as they speak little or no English.
They had quite a wide selection of fruit trees on sale for anyone who might be looking.