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Ants

Last post 12-05-2010 11:38 AM by sweet_t. 10 replies.

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  • 05/05/2010 03:07 PM
    • sweet_t
    • UK
    • 21 Apr 2010
    • 207
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    This may seem a bit of a silly question but I'm a complete beginner when it comes to gardening! I was wondering whether ants would do any damage to the veg that I'm growing - seeds, seedlings or plants. I've always had a problem with ants in my area and found quite a few walking around and in the containers in which I have planted various vegetables. Some of the pots contain seeds, others seedlings and others (like my potatoes) already well-growing plants.

    Do I need to do anything about them? And, if so, does anyone have (organic) tips for keeping them off my veggies!

    Thanks all in advance!

  • 08/05/2010 07:33 PM
    In reply to
    • jon jon
    • stratford on avon
    • 18 Sep 2009
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    hi sweet t ants can be a problem,inpots they can undermine the roots causing root damage ,also this allows the pots to dry out as the water drains to freely,the other problem is ants farm aphids,i.e.they carry them from plant to plant & protect the aphids(greenfly etc.}from preditors so the ants can feed of the honeydew the aphids exude i don*t know of any organic control but i think i read somewhere talcombe powder deters them apparently they hate walking on it , an old method was to use borax & sugar 50/50 jon
  • 10/05/2010 07:16 AM
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    • sweet_t
    • UK
    • 21 Apr 2010
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     Thanks Jon. I'll try the talcum powder as I don't think they're going to be going anywhere soon! 

  • 10/05/2010 09:50 AM
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    • dimitri
    • Devon
    • 14 Jan 2010
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    The borax bait is available commercially (or was a couple of years ago when I last bought some) as Nippon Ant Killer Liquid in a small tube.  It works well if you've got ant infestations in the house and should work in the garden as well, I would have thought.  The commercial product is 4.95% sodium tetraborate, much less than a 50:50 solution.  You'd need to cover the bait stations to keep pets off the bait.
  • 10/05/2010 05:36 PM
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    I have never found ants to do serious damage and are often a sign that watering has been insufficient.  I just water well and firm the soil.  This seems to work.  You could perhaps use it in conjunction with an organic control such as this one:  http://www.just-green.com/3463/Growing-Success-Termin8.html   You should be aware that borax has been used as weedkiller, boron being a fertiliser that is also toxic in excess, so beware being too liberal with the borax.

     

    Boggy

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
  • 10/05/2010 06:22 PM
    In reply to
    • dimitri
    • Devon
    • 14 Jan 2010
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    Bogweevil, you can of course poison plants with a lot of substances if you use enough of them, but I would not have thought a few ml of 4.95% borax solution spread around your garden is going to pose any threat?  At best, it might help correct any boron deficiency, though I doubt it would even do that, since the recommended rate for deficiency correction is 3 g/m2 and that is 3 g of powder, ie 100% borax.
  • 10/05/2010 09:38 PM
    In reply to
    • Beetle
    • woking
    • 03 Jun 2009
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    Of course Boggy - firming the soil would work - if a good heavy weight is used...Wink

    Beetling ahead....maybe.........?
  • 12/05/2010 06:40 AM
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    • sweet_t
    • UK
    • 21 Apr 2010
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     Thanks all! This has all been very useful! Smile

  • 12/05/2010 10:41 AM
    In reply to
    • JamesA
    • Peterborough
    • 24 Aug 2006
    • 215
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    Every year my patio pots seem to turn into ant nests. I think I'm a bit guilty of under-watering as mentioned above.

    I find they tend to farm aphids on my larger plants such as fruit trees and runner beans. They seem to leave the small veg alone. Unchecked the plants end up with such a number of aphids on it can't do them much good.

    I've got those grease bands on my fruit trees.
    I wonder how feasible it would be to put some grease such as Vaseline on all the main stems of our veg plants?
  • 12/05/2010 10:51 AM
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    Worth trying on a few plants, but ants or not, you will still get an abundance of aphids on many crops.  If you treat early the contact materials based on soaps or fatty acids will control the aphids sufficiently to gather a good crop with little harm to beneficial insects. Sterner measures might be needed where aphids get a hold.  Given the difficulty in controlling ants it is generally more profitable to let the ants be (save for watering and firming) and deal with aphids.

     

    Boggy

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
  • 12/05/2010 11:38 AM
    In reply to
    • sweet_t
    • UK
    • 21 Apr 2010
    • 207
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    Last year I had quite a bad infestation of aphids (i think they were black fly) on my french beans (and yes, lots of ants in the pot too!). I sprayed it regularly for two weeks with an organic control and searched the garden for ladybirds, which I then gave a new home in my bean pot, and didn't have a problem for the whole of the rest of the summer. The harvest was reasonable too - although, being the first time I was growing anything I have nothing to compare against!