ahl389
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Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:15 pm
Location: NY/NJ Zone 7a

Ants took all my lettuce...

I have a good sized planter box on my deck that I used to seed two rows of lettuce on Monday. I seeded maybe 4-5 seeds an inch not knowing how many would germinate, and expecting to thin them out (never planted lettuce before).

And then... moments later.... little tiny ants came and took my seeds. One by one, hauled each of them away. :cry:

I hoped that maybe they spared me a few, and today I went out and found this small little fellow. I wonder if it will be my only one lol

Image

ahl389
Full Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:15 pm
Location: NY/NJ Zone 7a

Something took it. My sprout is gone :(

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webmaster
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Posts: 9476
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 12:59 pm
Location: Amherst, MA USDA Zone 5a

You are not alone. This kind of thing happens to most every gardener in different ways. Part of gardening is knowing what can attack our plants and taking action to minimize (as much as possible) the potential of something eating or invading our garden. It's a part of gardening that sometimes has to be learned simply by doing it.

Many people sprout seeds indoors then transplant them when they're too big to be eaten by birds or squirrels.

At the very least you now know to do indoor starts. If it's not too late then give it another try.

ahl389
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Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:15 pm
Location: NY/NJ Zone 7a

Yes, I do, lesson learned! I got some arugula seeds, will try them next. Indoors first :)

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Put out ant bait too,otherwise the ants will bring in the aphids next.

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jal_ut
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Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Northern Utah Zone 5

I have used some soapy water to disperse ants. Had about 300,000 of them in a pile up on the sidewalk. A couple gallons of soapy water made them run for it. I say soapy water....... what I used was liquid dish-washing detergent, about a teaspoonful per gallon of water.

Masking tape. If you have ants climbing small trees causing trouble wrap some masking tape around the tree trunk sticky side out. The ants won't cross it.

Rotenone. Get it from your farm supply store. it is a naturally occuring substance that is a mild insecticide. I will use it since it is not a man made chemical .



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