I Hate Ants!

[Ozark Lady]

Builders often have a chalk box, of loose blue chalk, I wonder if that would work? It is already powdered.

[cherlynn]

Just loving this ant talk! Generally, if the ants aren't biting anyone or harming our home(carpenter ants) I would just let them be. I have found cinnamon to work well in these cases. I just put it near any openings that the ants come through into the house...no more ants...unless, of course, someone chooses to clean up the cinnamon

No problems in the veggie garden....and now, thanks to Scott, I know why!!! My soil is nice and moist and not depleted.

However, we may be having ant problems of a different nature soon. We'll be moving to Florida......depleted soils....with fire ants!!! We're planning to do raised beds, but I'll be doing some research...and trying some of the methods mentioned in this thread!!! I hear that they are difficult to get rid of. We didn't see any on our property....yet!!! However, our relatives have them....OUCH!!!!....the bites itched for weeks!!!

I had some miserable little itchy ants once in my flower garden. I used corn meal, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.....I never did figure out which of the three worked If I use cornmeal in the future it will be organic...no GMO's!

[applestar]

Oh Cherlynn, you'll have to leave your sunflower house!
... but then, maybe you can grow even BIGGER sunflowers in Florida.

Good luck! We want a FULL REPORT on how you transform the new garden into your own.

[The Helpful Gardener]

We'll sure miss you at the Garden Club, Cheryl, but now you can garden YEAR ROUND!

And fingers crossed, no ants...

HG

[rainbowgardener]

The chalk should work or any other powdery substance that clogs up their spiracles.... baby powder, Comet type cleanser powder, the flour, etc.

[cherlynn]

applestar,

I'm already trying to plan what we'll be growing and when to plant in Florida!
I've only seen one garden in the neighborhood...a nice little raised bed My hubby and I would like to have more edibles than grass...we'll see!!! He is already planning to build some raised beds! The closing is coming up in less than a week, but we won't move until late summer. I haven't seen any sunflowers growing in our neighborhood in Florida...we may be the first!!!

Scott,

We'll be back in CT every summer...if plans work out!!! I'll be helping in my daughter's garden! Although, I must say that the fairies seem to be doing a great job there! Thanks for the "fingers crossed, no ants..."!

rainbowgardener,

Using flour sounds like a good idea!!! Organic, of course!
I don't think that I'd want cleanser or even baby powder near edibles....


There are some terrific ideas in this thread!

[The Helpful Gardener]

There is one cleanser I would trust...Bon Ami...organic since always, calcium carbonate is completely safe, and I love it for anything greasy grimy (we no longer use the brillo pads; just add a little Bon Ami and ZING!).

Safer stuff is always out there...

HG

[cherlynn]

Thank you, Scott....I didn't think of Bon Ami....the one I actually buy, when I need to. Baking soda is what I usually use...hmmm, that might work on the fire ants! You are right Scott..."safer stuff is always out there..."

We just spoke with my mother-in-law. She had an allergic reaction to some fire ant bites. I started to do more research. Here is a link, if anyone is interested: https://www.fireant.net/Control/

I like the idea of planting spearmint...just containing it. The urine was an interesting method!

[wolfie]

I don't have any ants in the house, but I do have them in the garden, are they bad to have there?

[rainbowgardener]

Not particularly... ants don't eat plants and the tunnels do help aerate the soil.

[kgall]

Well...I can tell you that the ants here did not fall for the baking soda and powdered sugar or the cornmeal. Though the cornmeal seems to have rid me of my cutworm problem.
Back to the drawing board!

[Ozark Lady]

My husband was talking to an older (than us!) lady and she gave him her recipe for getting rid of ants.

3 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
4 tsp of boric acid
cotton balls
screw top jars
Loosely pack several small screwtop jars half full with the cotton balls saturate these with the mixture. Pierce the jar lids with 2-3 small holes, and replace the lids. Place in areas where ants are active. Keep out of reach of children.

Interesting. She says that it works really well. Since they ARE in my house, I am going to try it. The Terro only worked for a couple weeks and the next generation grew up and is back bothering me.

[Dixana]

We put baby powder in the window sills and never have ants in the house, or any bug really.
They ARE taking over my yard though!!!!! Ant hills EVERYWHERE!!!!!
I'm assuming all my neighbors use some form of bug killer and the rotten biting little buggers are taking refuge in my yard
I don't mind ants outside but this is getting a little ridiculous!