Talkback: Ants - Talkback - gardenersworld.com

kaycurtis

24/11/2011 at 15:27

those red ants are evil , when they get you, they really sting. I have colonies all over my garden, black near the house and red from half way down the garden, I don't know why they like my heavy clay so much, they must have to work even harder, wish they would do more sifting for me and save me the trouble. on the whole I don't mind them but in the pots they are a bit of a problem.

poodiecat

24/11/2011 at 15:28

Ground cinnamon. Did wonders in my Mum's garden!

democrat

24/11/2011 at 15:28

is it correct to treat rust on hollyhocks with epsom sallts

Sparkimarj

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I have lots of ant colonies under crazy paved car parking space. It seems to me that they displace the sand and mortar and I wonder if there are great spaces underneath my drive which will collapse eventually - any comments on this?

h0n3y5uckl3

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I have been told that Ivy attracts ants,espcially red ants and that Penny Royal is a good deterant??

patrician

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I have millions of ants both outside and inside. they undermine my veg garden and Inside i have slight succes by using lavender oil in the floor wash. In the garden only by knocking out an entire nest do I advance a little.
I use only organics and find Tansy hasnt helped much, they actually infest the plant! Would like to know from Poodiecat how cinnamon was applied...sounds expensive tho. The old sugar/boracic trick works but encourages them to come and stay around for the sugar.

Dorri

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I read somewhere else online that clove oil in water has the effect of sending them flying! I don't know if this works but Im enjoying a new garden, apart from what are obviously red ants. Ouch!

If I plant runner beans in the same bed, will they do any damage other than to me?

claireybelle

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I have been reading a book about the many uses of vinegar, and one of them was to get rid of ants. We tried it in the house last year, putting it down cracks where we had seen them, and putting it all around the outside of the house - and it worked!
No ants in the house since, and we have done it all again this time.
However, we are having a lot of trouble in the greenhouse, so have tried it in there. No ants up to present, but watch this space!

deemccarthy

24/11/2011 at 15:29

is there an ant killer that i can add to the water when im watering the garden ? or can you advise on the best way of dealing with ants ?

blackeyedsusan

24/11/2011 at 15:29

Hi all, getting really into my garden this year.
Found an ants nest did the clove oil thing didn't see any flying.
They were still there next although not as many.
Got ant bait traps from b&q. Everytime i go out to have a look there's only just a couple. When i really drench the area they disappear for ages

FarmerKate

24/11/2011 at 15:29

Apparently if you put down ground pollenta the ants will take this back to the nest and the queen ant will eat it, it is not digestible for ants and she will explode (doesn't sound very nice, I know). Ants have a short life span and of course without the queen there will be no more eggs so this will get rid of them...plus you'll only be killing one ant per nest, in fact the other ants will be doing it as they will be taking her the food ;)

shahwon

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I am an Organic Gardener, treating plants with Herbs & Spices

To get rid of Ants, just peel an onion, cut in thin slices, place each
slice 2/3 inches deep in the soil. One or two in the pot is enough.

In flower beds do the same two feet away, one foot away from the plant.

Note do not use in excess, it will damage the plant

Ladylike

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I have had some success with cornflour for removing ants. It's supposed to work in a similar way to the ground polenta. I will try the vinegar as well, though, I'm a big fan of various vinegars for lots of different jobs!

naughtyhottee

24/11/2011 at 15:29

Black ants were all over my green peppers. I took old coffee grounds and crushed egg shells and spread them around my plants and the ants disappeared.

ponner

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I have had trouble with ants for years inside until last year somebody recommended using Silvermints.You just brek them up and leave them in the area affected by them.It has worked very well and i only get the odd one now.

sybille

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I have ants in my composter, there must be millions!! I don't want to use chemical treatment because I think it wouldn't be very good for my compost.
I will try the trick with the polenta. I have tried baking powder for the pavement gaps - but I'm not sure whether the powder would be good for the compost.
Has anyone an idea what to use to get rid of these little intruders?
Oh - and what are Sivermints????

whippet-gal

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I like the vinegar idea. Thanks, claireybelle.
The ant colonies in my large outdoor containers are driving me nuts, so I'll try watering with a strong solution & see what happens.

chobhamroll

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I have read that using Tea Tree Oil works, certainly got rid of the ones outside the house, just sprinkle a few drops around and they vanish.

sybille

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I forgot to write - it worked with the baking powder and it also seems to work with bicarb soda!!!!!!!!!!!!!

karenlincoln

01/03/2012 at 14:06

I have loads of red ants in my sadly neglected Dalek compost bin. It's all dried out and I clearly need to start all over again and do it properly this time. However, what do I do with the current contents? Can I spread it on the garden like a mulch? Its all very dry (hence the ants) in fact its mostly spent potting compost. Will the ants do any harm if I spread it on top of the very clay soil?