Ants ruining my shrubs and flowers in tubs

[CathyS]

I have read a couple of posts on here that say ants don't eat plants. I have 5 large tubs in my garden with various established plants; azealia, peiris, lilies, 2 shrubs, can't remember name of all 5 tubs are hoching with ants and they are ruining the plants!!! We do regularly every year have a major ant problem in various parts of the garden, can't get rid of them, if we do they only appear somewhere else the following year and this time it's the decking and these tubs.
Can anyone give me some advice on how to get rid and rescue my beautiful plants plzzzz?????

[rainbowgardener]

Here's some ant control methods in this thread: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... ol#p378369

Or just mix diatomaceous earth in with the soil (if the ants are in the soil, not just on it)/

[CathyS]

Thanks, I'll hv a go with this. Where will I be able to buy this? I've never heard of it before, will I be able to pick it up at my local Dobbies??

[Grovmel]

Did not know that any ant could be harmfull to the garden. There are no such thing here in norway. Red ants we have plenty of in the garden, they hurt when spitting their acids. But they make the soil better.

[applestar]

Agricultural/horticultural/food grade diatomaceous earth is flour-like finely milled powder that is added to animal feed and grain to control pests and is also used as organic livestock and pet wormer, so if your Dobbies, which I gather is a garden center sells farm related supplies, they should have it also. You may want to call ahead and ask. You don't want to get the heat-processed pool and filter grades diatomaceous earth.

[imafan26]

You can make a boric acid bait
Here are a few homemade bait recipes you can try…
Sugar
2 TBS Boric Acid (Borax)
Jam (or Jelly, Honey, Maple Syrup)
Mix the boric acid with the jam or jelly to make a paste. Slather it on a piece of paper, a plate or in a covered container with holes. You may have to adjust amount of Boric Acid if they seem to eat up the bait like crazy, but are getting fatter from it instead of dying.
Sugar
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 TBS Boric Acid (Borax)
Mix and place in small saucers around the house.
Protein
2 TBS Boric Acid (Borax)
Peanut Butter or Bacon Grease
Mix and set out in mounds on pieces of paper or plates.
Sugar
1 cup Confectioners Sugar
2 TBS Boric Acid (Borax)
Leave this in little mounds or in covered containers with holes.
Sugar Bait
2 TBS Molasses
1 TBS Yeast
1 TBS Sugar
Mix and place mounds on paper, plates or in covered containers with holes.
Important: When baiting so they’ll bring poison back to the nest, resist the temptation to kill them when you see them. You want them to live and take big juicy pieces of poisoned bait back to the nest for the rest of the colony to feast on.
A few baiting tips:
Boric Acid can be harmful if swallowed. If you have kids or pets in the home, set the bait in covered plastic containers with a few holes poked in the sides. You could also use glass jars sealed with lids–just poke holes in the top lid. For strong attraction, smear a bit of non-poisoned bait on top of the lid so they’ll find it easily.
For best results lay out a fresh batch daily.
Lay the bait in areas where you see regular activity and near their points of entry if you know them.
don't be diligent washing away their trails, you want them to find the bait spots easily again and again. All the workers in the colony can follow each others trails, so even if you killed off the first foragers, their partners will follow the trail they left.
You may find that a sugar bait will be popular for a few days, then a protein one is needed as they switch to protein foods. Change your method as needed.
If you’ve set out both types (sugar and protein) yet they are attracted to neither, reduce the amount of boric acid used until they starting feasting on the bait.

The peanut butter bait works best for grease eating ants. Sweet eating ants go for the sugar bait
Grease Ant Bait Recipe

Mix 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of honey, and about ½ teaspoon of boric acid powder. Protein-loving ants respond best to a bait made of both protein and sugar.

I cut small holes in margaring or sour cream containers near the bottom. Inside the container I place cotton balls that have been saturated with the ant bait. Ants come take the bait to feed the queen. Replace cotton balls when they get moldy.

I have also used 4 inch sections of pvc pipe. Stuff cotton balls and push them to the middleo of the pipe. Drizzle some bait on the cotton balls on both ends.

For baits to work they have to be left in the path of the ants.

Terro is a comercial bait available for sweet ants. There is an outdoor version.

Sevin can also be used around the plants and foundation to kill ants. If the plants can be moved, move them away from the foundation. Having a lot of water around attracts ants. Kill any aphids, scale or mealy bugs on the plants, the ants are farming them. However, it is best to find and treat the maiin nest.

Use amdro ant bait. Follow the directions on the package. You want to sprinkle the granules around the ant mound entrance. The idea is still to have the ants take the bait to the queen and feed it to her.

[applestar]

I think JONA mentioned they don't sell sevin in uk....

[imafan26]

Sevin is the least toxic of the things I have. Malathion is next but it really stinks for a while. I try not to use it much. I actually use boric acid around the foundation and on the lanai. Like diatomaceous earth it has to be replaced every time it rains. The other thing that does work is ant chalk but unfortunately it has been banned as well. Diazinon was also taken off the market.

It should still not be used around children and pets.

If the ants are hanging around the pots I would check under them and in them for the nest. If the tubs are large it may be hard to move them but if you can get help get them off the ground and put them on blocks so you can treat under them.

Terro outdoor ant baits work on most sweet ants. It takes a while though for it to be carried back to poison the queen.

Certain plants likie lemon grass, citrus, azaleas, hibiscus, gardenias, and Thai Ixoras are plants that almost always have ant nests nearby. The ants like to farm aphids on those plants. Now when I see sooty mold, the first thing I do is set out fresh ant bait and then start blasting the plants leaves with water. I haven't had to do that much now. I haven't had much of an aphid problem in years. As it turns out I have a lot of greenhouse frogs, spiders, and anoles that eat a lot of ants. Unfortunately anoles are also fond of earthworms.

[pepperhead212]

Sevin still kills bees, even though it is fairly non-toxic. This is why I stopped using it years ago.

So, apple, lemongrass gets ants and aphids? I have never seen any even on other plants, in the entire bed I grow the lemongrass in. Have I just been lucky?