It could have been the neem oil. If you applied it too heavily, or in strong sunlight, or at high temperatures.

I applied at dusk, it was probably still about 75 degrees, no direct sunlight. I used the recommended dilution of 5 ml to 1 qt water with 2 ml non anti bacterial dish soap,I hope I didn't hurt my own plants while trying to protect them. o-o

That all sounds good. Hope it works. I always worry about spraying very young seedling transplants.

Some plants are sensitive to horticulture oils. Especially ones who have waxy leaves. Then add in wind and you have a serious leaf burn. It will live just don't use it on the plant again.

I'm not too sure though, I spray my seedlings as soon as they pop from the ground, granted that isn't a transplant and the hardening of the plant doesn't play a factor, but I spray all my plants with neem oil pumpkins, watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, everything. And I have never had an issue like that.

It almost looks like a reaction from the powder and the oil. Don't take it as gold but It really does seem like a burn of some sort. Insects wouldn't leave brownish areas on the wounds and that light green ring around them either.

Insect wounds are just holes and missing leaves.

Has anyone on here used powder and neem oil before?

These were not transplants...Jaylowe, I hadn't used the powder in a few days and thought I had watered enough for any residual powder to be gone.

Next time don't worry too much about some damage to baby leaves. It's hard to know how a plant is doing until the growth bud is well under way and a few true leaves. it can look bad and then they take off.

pnbrown does have a great point these baby leaves don't actually photosynthesize for the plant they more or less store nutrients to get the plant to push out its true leaves. Granted this may not help you from doing damage later or preventing damage later but it is true, don't worry. Nature is nature.

Thanks everyone.

Definitely not the neem oil. I'd say it's a bug. UF extension has a great pesticide guide, and it says neem only works against aphids and white flies. I've found this to be true in my experience as well. I would say its bug damage, if the pemethrin is your choice go for it.

That's strange mccoml I have been using neem oil for a few weeks now and it's has kept everything at bay, I don't have any damage to my plants for a good 2 weeks after using it. Once I start seeing leaves chewed around the edges and more towards the inner leaf I spray and it stops again. From what I understand it makes the insects for how to eat. Weird huh?