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imb1987
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 8:18 pm

ANTS

Ants have moved into my garden. Do there tunnels hurt my plants? What can I do to get rid of them without killing my plants?

Thanks
Tanya_NB_4B/5A
Full Member
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:20 pm
Location: Moncton, New Brunswick

imb1987 wrote:Ants have moved into my garden. Do there tunnels hurt my plants? What can I do to get rid of them without killing my plants?

Thanks
I had the same problem last week with my garden. I bought some raid ant killer drops and put a few drops close to the ant hill. I put it on the paving stones but you could put in on a little square of wax paper close to each ant hill. It attracts the ants they bring it to their nests to feed the larvae and it kills them. I haven't seen an ant since! Your supposed to reapply after it rains.

Hope this helps!
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Ants are actually beneficials in the garden for the most part (moving large quantities of subsoil up into the growing profile, along with those nutrients).

Unless they are tunneling to the point of exposing root mass to the air (can happen) they are not much of an issue; watering heavily will discourage them (they like dry sandy, not moist, damp soil).

We don't much like killing our bugs here; we either keep them or sic another bug we like on them... :lol:

Scott
JPIXI
Senior Member
Posts: 213
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 7:54 am
Location: France, Paris

Hi HG,

I heard adding epsom salt to water not only discourage ants, but also promote roots growth.

I used sea salt, with eggshell powder to solve the problem. I wonder is it ok?

Besides, these ants are biting of my rose leaf. I hate seeing holes on beautiful leaf.
JPIXI
Senior Member
Posts: 213
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 7:54 am
Location: France, Paris

Sorry guys, pls don't use sea salt, but real epsom salt, or you will kill your plants. A terribile mistake, pls pls NO SEA SALT.
grandpasrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1651
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:21 pm
Location: Quesnel, BC, Canada - Zone 4a

It was probably not the ant that ate your rose leaf, but more likely the bug the ant was after that did the damage. Ants don't usually eat plants, but do go after aphids and the like. You should check your roses for other pesky critters!
VAL (Grandpa's Rose)
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

That's the facts; ants are'nt a bigg issue but sea salt IS...

JPIXI, at least you can take some solace in the fact that your mistake can serve as a warning to others... :(

HG
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Leaf cutter ants CAN be a problem for roses, but they aren't that common...

Scott


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