Horticultural oil is one of the most valuable tools at a gardener‘s disposal because it allows pests to be controlled effectively.
This is according to Heather Hamilton of the Tracy Press, who explains that the oils can be used to stave off the threat of insects by interfering with their metabolism and disrupting their eating patterns.
Also known as summer or verdant oils, horticultural oils can be applied during both the growing and dormant seasons.
Ms Hamilton explained that the success of horticultural oil can be boosted if the gardener knows the right time to apply it.
“For example, scale insects are especially susceptible to oils during the crawler stage, which occurs immediately after egg hatch,” she said.
“It is important to keep up with pest development so that you can apply the oil when it will do the most good.”
Horticultural oil is made up of a number of hydrocarbons, which themselves contain compounds of sulphur and nitrogen.