CLIMATE AND SOIL FOR GROWTH
Neem is an understanding tree and thrives successfully on dry, stony, clayey and shallow
soils. Its root system has an unusual ability to glean nutrients and moisture even from
highly leached sandy soils. The soil pH needed for the optimum growth is 6.2 and above.
However acidic soils with pH around 5 do not deter its growth. The surface pH of such soils
can be brought to neutral by its leaf litter. Neem can also flourish on calcareous soils with
pH 8.5”.
Neem can stand shade temperature up to
490 C. It cannot survive frost. However neem
trees in Dade county, Florida have
occasionally withstood temperatures below
0. Neem is generally found growing at an
altitude of 50 m to 1,500 m. Whereas rainfall
between 450-1,150 mm is ideal for optimum
growth. It can tolerate a long dry season with
rainfall as low as 130mm.
Neem fails to establish well on seasonally
waterlogged soil and on deep dry sand
where the watertable lies below 18 m. It does
not grow well on saline soils to yield neem
oil.