Sorry for the absence, its been a busy time. We went over to Malta in Half Term and had a great time.........but that's another story
Back to neem seeds, I planted 100 of them before we went away and have been disappointed to find that none have shown themselves. After Liza and I discussed the problem over a cup of tea, it was decided that even though they arrived ready for sowing, the inner case was hard and action was needed. So today I took up the 100 seeds and crushed each one between my fingers, just till the casing cracked and then replanted them all in fresh compost.
Fingers crossed.
For those who haven't come across neem, it is one amazing tree. In India it is known as 'the village pharmacy' It has a long list of 'Anti's' Anti-inflammatory, Anti-arthritic, Anti-pyretic (fever), Anti-gastric (ulcer), Anti-bacterial, Anti-viral and the list goes on. We find that neem is great for any skin problems, and insect bites.
Neem oil applied to the skin keeps away mosquito's and flys. It is also widely used as an organic insect repellant for plants, and I use it on my geraniums to keep away the geranium moth.
Neem toothpaste will also cure gum disease and keep your mouth healthy and teeth white. You can chew on the leaves to get these benefits as well. if you feel a cold coming on, a daily dosage of 4 tablets three times a day will boost the immune system and knock the cold on its head ( I always think that's a funny expression) If you google 'Neem' you will find lots of info.