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Hi Everyone,

I purchased a thyme plant a couple of months ago and it has not been thriving; in fact it has been drying up. Yesterday I decided to remove the thyme from the pot and when I took it out I found an ants' nest with eggs just beneath the plant. Is the ants' nest the reason for my plant drying (I'm, assuming so but I don't know for sure)?

Four weeks ago I got frustrated with the lack of progress with the thyme plant so I purchased and planted seeds which have been growing very well (after some of the seedlings were being eaten). I have transplanted the thyme plants plugs into pots.

My main question is how can I prevent ants from making nests under my new thyme plants? I really like thyme and I don't want to lose any of my plants to ants.

Thanks in advance for your response.

Roseamore

I don't find ants particularly attracted to thyme. It would be a different matter if it were a citrus, gardenia or lemon grass. Those things are ant magnets.

The thyme may have been located near an existing nest. Check your other plants for aphids or if you have the plants near the garbage can. Ants love grease and sweets, they make their nests near food sources.

Hi Imafan26,

Thanks for answering.

The Thyme plant was not situated near to garbage. I checked out pictures of aphids online and I have not seen anything that look like them on any of my plants.

I'm starting to wonder if the thyme plant had the beginnings of an ant nest when I purchased it.

Is there any way (besides removing a plant from the pot) to detect if there are ants' nets in my plant other pots?

Have a good day.

Monique

My thyme plant got infested with ants after we moved to a new place in February. I am totally lost as to how to get rid of the ants!

Absolutely simplest way to find out is to water thoroughly. When the soil is flooded, the ants will scramble to move the nest/eggs/queen out of the pot and soil to a drier shaded location (often underneath the drip pan/catch tray). Most container plants do better when watered thoroughly, then allowed to dry to a preferred level, then watered again.