Ants on my Pepper Plants!!

[Matilda1]

Hello my fellow gardeners!! This is my first year for having a vegetable garden and well it was going great until I started getting ants and aphids on my pepper plants.

I joined another forum and sent out my cries for help there and was told by a fellow blogger to try sprinkling baking soda, just regular old baking soda, on the plants and it would get rid of the ants. To my surprise it burned the plants leaves and I still have the ants.

Sooooooooo...I am in need of some help! Are my pepper plants ruined?? Is there anything else that I can do that WON'T burn my plants??

Pleaaasssseee help! Thanks!!!!!!!

[Darceyoh]

If the ants are farming the aphids, you want to try and get rid of the aphids. In my opinion, ants are ok in the garden as long as they're not farming.

Try running a stream of water of the plant leaves, which should generally wash and kill the aphids.

I can't remember in other "organic" way of getting rid of them (at work, gardening books are at home).

[cherishedtiger]

I have found the best way to get rid of aphids (which got rid of the ants) was lady bugs! Our local nursery here sells them (fairly inexpensive). Pour the lady bugs on the plants and let them feast!
I also recommend getting whats known as a lady bug house, which helps attract and keep ladybugs in your garden, not your neighbors.

Good luck with the ant problem!!! I hate ants!!!

[Pushindirt]

What about pepper spray?

[garden5]

Welcome to the helpful gardener!

Whenever you try a new treatment out on a plant, it's always a good idea to just test it out on one plant. Somtimes that can prevent a real disaster.

If you pepper are still growing, I'd say that they will grow new leaves and still be OK.

I agree with what other posters said about the ants. I've never had any trouble with them in my garden, except for eating the sunflower leaves .

So, to get rid of the aphids, here is some information and here is some more.

Good luck .

[dave103069]

Try this out. It also helps with deer and other critters.

Get a container any size, I am using a 2 qt one. Add garlic, cayenne pepper, dish soap and then add some egg shells. Fill with water and keep outside to ferment. shake and pour this into a spray bottle and at night after watering spray this around the plants and also on the leaves.

see if this helps

So far this has helped me out - also buy a cheap container and spray bottle from the dollar store as once you are done with them just toss them out... Also watch when spraying if it is windy not to spray in the wind otherwise you will get it on you or in your eyes which could be painful. Yes, I learned by experience, haha..

[reidetodos]

In a spray bottle mix white vinegar (about 2 spoons per liter) and spray your plants with it....it won't harm your plants and it'll keep ants away....do it at dawn time so the sun doesn't warm the vinegar

[cynthia_h]

Although this is an old (2010) thread, I thought I'd warn whoever reads it that we often recommend vinegar as a general HERBICIDE--it *will* damage foliage. If enough vinegar of sufficient strength is applied, it will *kill* plants.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Magda Hochwasser]

Ants hate turmeric. Sprinkle some around your plantsa