Q.We applied Neem oil to 39 berry bushes and 31 died. What happened?
Neem oil was also applied to apple trees, tomato plants, and rose bushes. The rose bushes died and the tomato plants don’t look healthy. The apple trees are drooping over. Most of the blueberry bushes are 12 years old. We also had raspberry and blackberry bushes. The raspberry and blackberry bushes died first. The fruit on the blueberry bushes look hard and gray. We called the company and they said their product was safe. Our garden which was organic is gone and we don’t know what happened.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
We couldn't speculate on what happened to your garden without more information, unless the plants were sprayed with Neem Oil during the hottest part of the day. That could burn the plants. The instructions specify to spray in the early morning or evening.
We do recommend Neem Oil for pests and even fungus issues; there are many manufacturers of this product and application directions should be followed on the containers. Some require diluting the products. Verify the label and its application directions.
Was your whole garden bothered by the same pest that it was used so widespread? A call to your local cooperative extension agent may help. You can discuss the issues more comprehensively.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm