Remember the days when we used to write in English paragraphs that our hobby is gardening? Bet you didn’t know the maintenance and nurturing of a garden is sometimes tiresome and troublesome. Like Ants.
Although ants are pretty harmless for your plants, it’s still a concern for the safety of your plants and yourself.
But don’t you worry. Because, for every problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat and gets the job done very easily.
The reality is unless you get rid of the queen ant, you’ll never truly be rid of ants. This queen ant is in charge of depositing eggs and lives in ant colonies that are largely underground. So, if you have a large ant infestation, you should eliminate the source – the ant colony and the queen.
However, if your war is against the trail of ants invading from nowhere you can apply the methods too. So, Let’s get started.
Natural Pesticides!
Luckily the antibody against ants most of the time lives in your kitchen, one way or another. You can give your pantry a scan and find the product which can keep your garden ant-free.
- White Vinegar
Sometimes all you need is magic. One part white vinegar and three-part water_ this magical potion may seem pretty muggle to you but to the ant world, this is the dark lord.
The unpleasant liquid masks ant scent traces, making it difficult for them to track.
If the infestation is too much, 1 liter of white vinegar poured directly into the nest can be quite effective. It won’t hurt the ground or your plants, but it will kill the ants if they come into contact with it.
- Coffee ground
Coffee is saving the world yet another way, right!
This tried-and-true ant-repelling method has been around for a long time: Coffee grounds should be sprinkled around the stems of indoor and outdoor plants and flowers. Some say it’s because of the odor, while others say it’s because of the feel of the ground beneath their feet. It works in any case!
- Mint
Mint has been an introverted friend of ours who is keeping our mouths fresh and making our lemonade refreshing. However, our friend is the lifelong enemy of the ants.
Because ants dislike the fragrance of fresh mint, planting it in vegetable patches and flower beds repels ants and other insects while also providing a pleasant aroma in your garden. Peppermint, wintergreen, geranium, thyme, clove, and rosemary are also effective.
- Dishwashing liquid mixed with oil
Because the dishwashing liquid and oil sink into the ant exoskeletons and smother them, this approach has a high success rate. All you need is 1 quart of water, half a teaspoon of liquid dish soap, and one and a half tablespoons of cooking oil. Pour part of the mixture into a spray bottle to keep ants away from the nest, and then pour the rest directly into the nest.
Olive or canola oil work best.
Related Read: How to Get Rid of Ground Squirrels?
- Citrusy fruits.
Tangy citrus fruits like lemon, orange, lime, and grapefruit contain natural acids that keep ants at bay by concealing their scent trails – at least briefly. To deter itsy-bitsy insects from crossing over, squeeze lemons into a spray bottle or apply a pureed blend of orange peel and water on window sills and door jambs.
- Cinnamon
What is the finest spice to use in your kitchen to get rid of ants?
Cinnamon.
Cinnamon is natural and non-toxic, and it not only kills ants but also acts as a repellant due to its powerful scent.
- Pepper.
To keep those bothersome ants at bay, instead of coffee, try pepper. It doesn’t matter if it’s black or cayenne.
To be clear, pepper does not kill ants; nonetheless, the pungent odor will drive them away. Pour ground black pepper or cayenne pepper onto ant trails. Alternatively, make a spray bottle with pepper and water and sprinkle your home’s access points.
- Tea from the extract of pipe tobacco.
Not that I am promoting smoking tobacco, but if you are info this, maybe you can use the extract to repel the ants.
Simply soak the tobacco in water overnight and pour the liquid into the ant mounds. Just don’t forget to wear gloves for precautions.
Get more Science-y
If the home therapy doesn’t work for your gardens, its time to put on your chemistry googols. Things are getting nerdy at this point.
- Borax with sugar.
Borax, a mineral included in a variety of cleaning products, is toxic to ants because it disrupts their digestive tract.
Borax, confectioner’s sugar, and water are combined to make a syrupy paste. Place the mixture in shallow containers with narrow, ant-sized apertures near ant mounds or wherever ants are visible. Workers who have been enticed return to the nest with the tasty substance to share with their friends.
Keep borax-laced bait away from children and pets, even though it has a low toxicity rate for people.
- Gel for ant killing
Ant poison in the form of a gel is available at most garden centers. This is similar to how boric acid and sugar work. The ants are attracted to the sweet gel, which is transported inside the nest and consumed by the queen. Despite being a toxin, the gel presents no danger to your plants or garden.
- Ant repelling plants
Various plants, particularly those containing essential oils, have an odor that repels a variety of harmful insects, including plants.
- Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth is a form of silica created from the fossilized remnants of diatoms, which are small aquatic creatures that can be a type of plankton.
Diatomaceous earth isn’t harmful to your health. It kills ants and other insects by absorbing the oils in their bones, causing them to dry out. However, because diatomaceous earth is an irritant, avoid inhaling it or putting it on your skin.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is available for purchase online. Follow the package directions to use it to kill ants, or sprinkle the powder anywhere you notice ants.
If nothing works?….
As a long-term remedy, baits are more effective than insecticide sprays.
Bait is a food-insecticide mixture that forager ants recognize as food and bring back to the colony and queen. Ideally, you should be able to locate the ants’ nest and set bait stations or sprinkle baits around it.
If you can’t find the nest, scatter the bait on the ground near where the ants have been seen, avoiding contact with the veggies so that the product isn’t harmed.
Different food combinations in baits tend to attract different species. Identify the precise type of ant in your garden or use a combination of attractants for the best results.
Baits work best for black ants.
They’re worth a shot if you can’t discover the nest or it’s inaccessible, such as if it’s hidden behind a wall. Garden creatures such as hedgehogs and pets will be unable to reach the bait due to the bait station’s narrow holes.
Now, getting rid of ants is not enough in many cases. You must prevent them from coming back.
- Trim back plants, shrubs, and trees that brush up against your siding or roof, providing an ant bridge to your home.
- To prevent ants from nesting in the siding, leave a 3- to 6-inch clearance area between the earth around the base and the bottom row of the siding (and make sure the soil slopes away from the house).
- Firewood should not be stacked too close to the home. Ants love firewood because it provides them with a safe haven.
- Ants like to make nests under layers of thatch in bare locations in the yard. One approach to get rid of ants is to keep healthy grass.
- To get rid of ants that have formed mounds in bare places, treat the mound with insecticide and plant grass in the bare parts.
- When you mow the lawn, rake or bag the grass to remove thatch.
Ants are an integral part of our ecosystem and pretty much harmless. But we understand if you want to keep your greenery picture perfect. So, try to get rid of the ants first before taking any drastic decisions.
Happy gardening!
