Neem: A good Organic Fertilizer

I have discussed earlier about compost. Now its time to put some light on some available organic fertilizers. Today's edition is Neem.

Botanical Name : Azadirachta indica

Common Name : Nim, Neem, Limba, and Nimba etc.

Neem is a tree with stout and rather short stem. It can grow up to 12-15 meter. Neem seeds are collected from the tree and from there oil is extracted. De oiled neem cakes are used in fertilization of the soil.

There are several uses of neem. It is used as a base for preparing various consumer and industrial products. It is used as a repellent for pests. Unlike chemical pesticides neem works on the hormonal system of any insect rather than working on nervous or digestive system and hence it does not lead to resistance. In India the neem plant is considered to be an air purifier and so planted in the backyard or beside the house. But in this article I will discuss only the effect it has as a fertilizer.

Since very early in India neem are being used as a natural fertilizers. It had become very popular due to its dual impact of soil enhancer as well as pest repellent. Neem cakes as well as neem leaves are used to fertilize the soil. The followings are the nutrient content of neem seed cake:

Nutrients Percentage

(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%)
(Zn)	Zinc	(15 ppm to 60 ppm)
(Cu)	Copper	(4 ppm to 20 ppm)
(S)	Sulphur	(0.2% to 3.0%)
(Mg)	Magnesium	(0.3% to 1.0%)
(Fe)	Iron	(500 ppm to 1200 ppm)
(Mn)	Manganese	(20 ppm to 60 ppm)

Neem can be a great product if you are considering decreasing your soil pH. It can reduce the alkalinity of the soil as it get mixed with the soil and produce organic acids. In India it is extensively used in cash crops like turmeric, sugarcane, banana etc. it is a good alternative for chemical fertilizers in growing flowers and vegetables.

Neem cakes improves the appearances of fruits and vegetables. It also strengthens roots, and grow the foliage. It works very well when mixed with compost or other organic fertilizers. Applying neem with nitrogenous fertilizers can slow down the conversion process of nitrogenous compounds in ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and so improves efficiency of the soil.

Neem cakes are though enriched with different nutrients(NPK and micro nutrients) and produced better yield than urea it is very cost effective. The NPK is 100% natural and it is also accompanied by several micro nutrients(as stated above). They are very well compatible with the microbes present in the soil and improves its fertility. Beneficial animals like earth worm really seems to like the neem.

Hope this article gave you some insights about this great Indian plant and its uses as a soil enhancer. More on neem and its uses in future articles. Post your feedback.