How to get rid of ants in your garden

Unfortunately, there's no single effective solution for black ants in garden beds. However, there are inexpensive products that can completely eliminate these insects and their families, and these products also prevent other insects from settling nearby. Black ants can be dangerous not only to your garden but also to the plants growing there. However, finding their habitat is often very difficult, as the ants live in small holes in families; they can be found while weeding. You should also be aware of the following: How to protect your property from ticks.

Unfortunately, ants are very attracted to aphids, which thrive not only on garden trees, shrubs, or vegetable stems but also on weeds. Ants, in turn, protect aphids from attacks by various insects. Aphids secrete a special liquid that black ants feed on, so it's worth looking for concentrations of these harmful insects in areas frequented by aphids. Ants don't cause as much damage to crops as aphids, but they can transfer the eggs of these pests to neighboring plants, meaning that nearby vegetables will soon be infested by adult aphids. Therefore, you'll need to combat not only the ants themselves but also the aphids.

If a gardener is determined to get rid of ants in their garden for good, they should consider not only modern chemicals but also traditional pest control methods. A good place to start is by controlling aphids, as the less food these uninvited guests have, the smaller their colony will become, making their elimination much easier. It's important to note that there are no traditional methods for completely eliminating ants in the garden, and there's no need to eliminate all the insects from the garden; the main goal is to reduce the number of these "uninvited guests."

Chemical remedies for harmful ants

One of the most popular chemical powders today is called "Anteater," which comes in powder form. This solution is made into a special solution with water and then applied to areas where these black pests have begun breeding. It's important to find not just the adult insects, but their nests; this will eliminate a larger number of "uninvited guests."

You can also use paste-based products to eliminate these insects. They are also highly effective and easy to use. Simply coat a piece of cardboard or board with the paste and then place it near the black ant infestation. The insects will smell the sweet scent and be drawn to it, but they won't be able to peel their small, thin legs off the picture. These products have a major drawback: after a couple of weeks, the board will begin to decompose, and the ants will return to their nests and begin breeding. To do this, you need to... spray trees and bushes from insects.

These pests will only quickly disappear from the garden if the plants are free of aphids. Therefore, it's important to find effective chemical pesticides that attack the plants themselves and attract black ants. When the solution comes into contact with the plant, it begins to poison the aphids, and the secretions left on the leaves also become contaminated with toxic substances. Therefore, if an ant decides to feast on the aphid's milk, it will also quickly die. If a gardener regularly carries out these treatments, pests like black ants will never appear in their garden.

Folk methods for killing black ants

Today, dozens of folk remedies have been invented to get rid of ants in the garden, but their effectiveness must be tested firsthand, as not all of them are truly effective. For example, one of the simplest, yet no less effective, methods is using boiling water. To do this, prepare boiling water and pour it into the ants' burrows. The high temperature will kill not only the pests themselves but also their eggs. If you don't want to eliminate the insects, but simply repel them from certain vegetables, you can sprinkle a little ash or chopped tomato leaves near the burrow.

To combat ants, you can also use regular urine, which you pour into the ant holes, causing the insects to leave their habitat. It's also worth considering methods for getting rid of ants in the garden (video), such as using various baits containing a poisonous substance. This method is the most effective, as it helps eliminate large ant colonies. You can create such bait yourself, but be very careful with toxic substances.

The most effective poisonous baits

One very effective method for getting rid of ants in the garden is using boric acid. To do this, take boric acid powder and add an equal amount of sweet jam or honey (you can even use regular sugar or powdered sugar). Sprinkle a small amount of the solution where the insects have decided to make their nest. It's best to make circles around each hole. Keep in mind that these uninvited guests like to live under pear trees, so if you have one in your garden, it's a good idea to treat the soil beforehand.

The next method for eliminating unwanted residents is also simple. In this case, it's worth considering how to get rid of ants in the garden using millet. Many may think that millet won't repel uninvited garden guests, but experience shows otherwise. Black ants can't stand the smell of millet, so they leave their nest after a while. You can use not only millet but also regular semolina. For this remedy to work, simply find the insects' nesting place, then scatter a handful of millet or semolina there. Then, wait until the insects leave on their own. This method has a drawback: birds can peck at all the millet, so it's worth placing some dry grass on top of the millet. This will hide it from birds, but it won't prevent the ants from noticing the unpleasant bait. If you want a bountiful vegetable harvest, you need to know. How to dilute chicken manure as fertilizer.

How to eliminate the "queen" ant

Sometimes, too many ant colonies settle in a plot, requiring other methods. It's essential to find the most effective ways to get rid of ants in the garden, greenhouse, and on the plot. In this case, it's necessary to eliminate not only the smaller ants but also their main "Queen." If she's still alive, not a single ant will leave her nest. Such a Queen most often lives not on the surface, but deep underground; even digging a path to her with a shovel can be quite difficult, as she can lie five feet underground.

To remove the main female ant from the nest, you'll need to find the best way. Here, we'll provide two of the most effective methods for eliminating the "queen." To do this, place a sweet bait (such as boric acid and jam) near each nest hole, bush, and tree. Fermented beer combined with sugar syrup is also recommended; this will help eliminate the small ants that frequently crawl to the surface. The second method is to use sticky bait. It should stick to the black ants' legs, causing them to carry the poison back into the nest. This will not only reduce the ant population but also poison the main "queen" of the nest, as the ants will bring her food.

Eliminating pests from the root system of strawberry bushes

Women often complain on forums about ants eating strawberry roots and creating nests for themselves there, which is why the strawberry bush dies. If a gardener notices that the leaves of a strawberry bush are curling and turning yellow, this could indicate damage to the root system. It's worth checking for "uninvited inhabitants" in the roots, which are eating the bush underground and then moving on to the ripe berries. The main drawback of black ants is that they can create a nest for themselves in the root system and lay eggs there. It's worth considering how to eliminate these harmful insects from strawberry bushes without harming the plant and the ripening berries.

First, it's important to understand the current stage of development of the strawberry plant; this will determine the method for eliminating uninvited guests from its root system. For example, if the plants are just beginning to bloom, it's worth using poisoned sweet baits, placing them around the perimeter of the strawberry beds and between them.

An excellent method for eliminating ants is using yeast. Take a regular baker's yeast block, mix it with sugar and honey, and then sprinkle it on problem areas of your garden beds. When the ants smell the sweet aroma, they'll be tempted to try it. After a few minutes, the ants begin to die from this deadly substance. However, don't place the yeast directly on the soil; it's better to place the bait on bottle caps or cards. If the mixture gets into the soil, it can harm not only the insects but also the plants themselves.

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Another method worth trying is to consider how to get rid of ants in the garden using ammonia. This solution is ideal if the bushes are already bearing green berries. To prepare the mixture, take one tablespoon of the ammonia and dilute it in eight liters of clean water. Allow the solution to sit for half an hour before spraying, then spray the plants with a spray bottle. This solution is completely safe for berry bushes, but the insects won't appreciate it, as black ants dislike strong odors and will likely soon abandon their habitat.

If berries are already ripe in your garden, it's worth using herbs with very strong aromas; they'll help repel pests. For example, the most popular ant repellent today is wormwood; it has an unpleasant odor, so ants won't appreciate the presence of such a fragrant herb. You can also use mint or tansy; these herbs smell wonderful, but not to the "uninvited residents."

It's worth noting that only fresh herbs are most effective against ants, as they emit a stronger aroma. More serious methods should only be used after the entire strawberry harvest has been collected. Another method to get rid of ants in the garden is using eggshells; this method is more suitable when the shrubs begin to bloom.

How to prevent the appearance of such "residents"

To avoid having to eliminate these pests from your garden beds, it's best to prevent them from appearing under shrubs, trees, and in vegetables. Ants especially often attack berry bushes and fruit trees, not vegetables themselves, so it's best to protect them from these insects in advance.

One of the most important and effective methods of eliminating and preventing insects is fencing off bushes and trees. Each tree is surrounded by a circle of earth, then the tire is cut into two pieces to create long conductors. These are laid in the grooves and filled with water. This is done in the spring, before the first insects appear.

It's worth noting that this method can be used to protect not only trees but also small seedlings. In this case, it's best to use a smaller tire, such as a bicycle tire. It will prevent ants from crossing, and the plant will be perfectly protected. Creating a moat with water will also encourage birds to visit the garden more often, as they often have nowhere to drink, and the moat will provide an ideal source of water. To connect the tire sections together, you can use a special sealant or plasticine.

Another very simple method is to use regular foil. Buy several rolls and make a "skirt" for each tree. The bottom should be sharp enough to prevent ants from climbing. The most popular urban method for getting rid of ants on trees is to paint them with regular whitewash. If you don't have lime at home, you can use tar, but it gets very messy, so you'll need to be more careful when approaching the trees later to avoid staining your clothes. It's essential to carry out a thorough cleaning. spraying fruit trees against pests in early spring.

As mentioned earlier, ants dislike areas with highly aromatic herbs, so it's a good idea to immediately add parsley leaves, garlic cloves, fresh wormwood leaves, or other strong-smelling herbs to your garden. If you need to protect trees from ants, simply tie these herbs around the trunk. This provides a simple barrier against insects, but you'll need to replace it frequently. For strawberries, wormwood is recommended; place it between the rows and leave it there. As soon as the grass begins to dry out, replace it with fresh wormwood.

All these simple methods will help not only eliminate uninvited guests from your garden beds and garden, but also prevent them from appearing. By following the advice of gardeners and horticulturists, you can grow a bountiful harvest without worrying about your plants. If your garden isn't overly infested with insects, it's worth trying traditional methods alone. Only if these methods fail should you consider using chemicals.