How to control ants in the flower garden

 How to control ants 

Horticulturists do not classify ants as garden pests because they do not seriously damage plants or spread any disease around the garden. In fact, garden ants have some advantages. Still, many people think that ants do not like the garden. Some may be so aggressive as to cause painful bites, especially the vicious fire ant of the south, which seems to expand its territory to the north annually. There are other reasons why you may want an ant-free garden. But before you bring out the toxic chemicals, think about whether the problems caused by ants outweigh the benefits.

Problems caused by ants in the garden

Some ants maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with aphids, which can actually be harmful to plants. Because small aphids feed on plant sap, they produce a sweet substance called a bee that ants like to eat. In return, ants take care of aphids from predators and parasites - they mainly "farm" the aphids. The fighting plant is sometimes accused of hiding ants, but they are usually secondary culprits — look closely, you will probably see a lot of aphids.

7 tips for each gardener

Ants can ruin the aesthetics of cut flowers - otherwise a spring bouquet of perfect peonies. Finally, ground-nesting ants can sometimes compromise the root system of a type of shrub or extensive ant tunnels can accelerate erosion. There are good reasons why you may want to get rid of these otherwise harmless pests. Before you do, consider the benefits as well.

Benefits of garden ants

Ants have many virtues in the garden:

Ants are natural predators that eat the eggs and larvae of some harmful insects.

Ants pollinate. This role becomes more important as other pollinators are threatened. Although not as effective as bees, ants transfer pollen when they march from plant to plant.

Ants dig tunnels and aerate the soil. Especially in dense soils, ant tunnels help carry air, water, and nutrients to plant roots.

Often, small garden ants, red or black in color, are relatively harmless in the garden, while large carpenter ants of fire ants pose the most real danger. But if the problems outweigh the benefits to you, there are several ways to get rid of ants in your garden.

6 ways to get rid of ants

Create an ant repellent at home

Ants are very sensitive to odors, as any tourist can tell you. Just as they are inspired by sweets, some scents prevent them. Experiment with cotton balls soaked in ant-repellent essential oils. Ants hate mint, camphor, dandelion, and clove oil.

Another method is to add hot pepper to a little water in a blender to create a dense mash, which you can spread over problem areas. Faced with this stench, ants are likely to vacate the space. This homemade solution also acts as a preventative repellent.

Use borax bait

The bait packed with pesticides only targets ants without harming other insects. You can mix a cup of borax with a cup of honey or jelly and place it near the area where the ant is active. The ants feed on this poisonous mixture to their queen, which leads to the death of the entire colony. You have to be patient to see the results of this method because borax is a slow-acting poison and workers need time to distribute the toxins throughout the colony. If this homemade solution is too confusing, you can buy ready-made boric acid ant bait.

Be careful not to use borax or boric acid that is accessible to pets or wild animals. These substances are mildly toxic to animals. Borax kills spiders, but it does not harm the most beneficial insects.

Bait ants with baking soda

Like borax, baking soda is less toxic to ants and less toxic to other animals. Mix 50-50 mixture of powdered sugar and baking soda and place near the ant colony. Although this mixture is harmless to most animals, they are attracted to the sugar mixture and you should not reuse them on the bait.

Use sticky traps

Ants are attracted to desserts and include many fruits and some honey-rich flowers. Peonies, in particular, attract when the buds bloom. Although ants rarely cause damage to flowers or fruits, no gardener wants to reduce the joy of harvest with a few ants. You can use sticky traps to prevent ants from climbing on the anxious plant. Buy a commercial adhesive product such as donglefoot or create your own adhesive traps from adhesive paper strips around the base of plants.

Fight aphids

If you notice a swarm of ants in one of your garden specimens, be skeptical. Ants have intended creatures, not given to sober gatherings. Take a closer look and use a magnifying glass if necessary: ​​you will probably detect the attack of aphids. The ants are enjoying the sweet bee expelled by the aphids. In exchange for this feed, the ants protect the aphids from their enemies and attack beneficial insects such as ladybugs. You must first treat the aphids that are damaging the plant; The ants then look for food elsewhere.

Consider fire ants as an emergency

Fire ants are less deserving of the flower gardener’s tolerance and sympathy. These aggressive invaders can crawl quickly into a gardener’s arm or leg, delivering dozens of painful bites before the victim finds them. They also hunt wildlife such as lizards, frogs, spiders, and birds in the garden.

If you have ants on your property, destroy them. Cover the mat with a container and pour boiling water around the container. Wait a minute, then turn the container over with a stick and pour an extra gallon of boiling water over the ants seeking refuge in the container. Repeat as needed.

The flood of ordinary household vinegar will send an ant colony immediately, however, if you do not immediately soak that area in water it will acidify the soil. Fire ants require this type of emergency treatment with boiling water or vinegar, but the colony of carpenter ants should also be treated seriously, especially if it is near your home.

What causes ants in the garden?

Sometimes the things we use to maintain our gardens have the unfortunate side effect of painting ants. The pile of compost you grow attracts ants when it sends the sweet smell of rotting cantaloupe skins and banana peels into the air. To encourage ants, use the right ratio of green and brown ingredients and maintain a warm compost pile. High compost can also prevent Dumbledore ant infestation.

Wood chip mulch is important for suppressing a thick layer of weeds and retaining moisture in the garden but also creates a comfortable habitat for many ant species. If it scares you to dig into the soil for fear of finding a swarm of angry ants, try mineral mulch such as crushed rocks, ground tires or synthetic terrain cloth. These materials do not enrich the soil, so add compost or manure at the time of planting.

How to prevent ants in the garden

It can be very difficult to prove ants to your entire garden, but specific plants can often be protected by spraying with citrus-based horticultural oil, which is toxic to ants, whose scent destroys their scent paths and often transmits them. Even a simple 50-50 mixture of lemon juice and water will repel ants.

Keeping the floor clean of fallen flowers and other debris