Can anyone recommend an effective ant killer?

eco

Don't know if it works but Alan T suggested Borax powder mixed with sugar, you put it near the nest and the sugar attracts them but they take the borax powder into the nest which does kill them, someone on the old style board will probably know where to get borax powder.

frazzbo

I found a website that suggests cinnamon of all things! I have some ground cinnamon in my kitchen so maybe that's worth a go.

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/keeping-ants-of-flowering-vines-vegetables-and-flowers.htm

1. Place ant deterring smells around the base of the plant – There are a few things that ants do not seem to like the smell of. Some of these things are mint or cinnamon. Try laying some mint or cinnamon flavored gum around the base of the affected plant. Or just sprinkle some cinnamon around the base of the plant.
2. Place ant killing food around the base of the plant – There are several recipes that can be used for this. One is to mix equal amount of borax and sugar and place this around the base of the plant. The mixture will kill any ant that eats it. Cornmeal and sugar is also a good mixture to try. The cornmeal will expand after it is eaten and will also kill the ants.
3. Make an ant trap – Make a collar out of a piece of paper to trap ants. To do this, cut out a circle that is at least 8 inches wide. Make a cut to the center of the circle and cut a small hole in the center that is wide enough to fit loosely round the base of the plant. Smear one side of the paper with Vaseline. Place the collar, Vaseline side up, around the base of the plant. The ants will get stuck in the Vaseline.
4. Remove the ants’ scent trail – Ants send out scouts to find new sources of food. These scouts will leave a scent trail for other ants to follow to the food (which is why you normally see ants walking in a straight line. They are all following the scent trail.). Removing this scent trail will remove the directions to the flowering vine. Observe what path the ants are taking to get to your plant. Take a cloth soaked with bleach or ammonia and lay the cloth over as much of that path as possible. Do not pour bleach or ammonia directly onto the soil, as this can damage the roots of the plant.
5. Plant ant repelling plants in the area – Plants like henbit, geranium, garlic, aster, calendula, chrysanthemum and mint are known to deter ants and other garden pests. Planting these plants around the affected plant will help to keep ants away.

misgrace

I dont know if this will help with Ants in your garden, but I swear by 'Ant stop' it comes in a redish trigger bottle.
I use it, and it lasts for months, as soon as the weather heats up, spray along your doorstep, and even outside where the little blighters are marching towards the door, any air vent that you have going into your house.
I swear this is the best thing I have ever tried, forget 'Nippon' (japs are only good for making cars, not ant killer) ;) it lasts for ages, it is the best thing I have ever tried.

What it does, is it leaves a film that lasts about 6 months, and the little darlings pounce on it, but within 5 mins they are gone, also, it keeps the other little blighters away, and I swaer I havent seen any ants after I spray with the Ant stuff.:T

spakkker

I think ants don't like too much moisture -so water them liberally! This won't kill them but may make them move on.

frazzbo

spakkker wrote: »

I think ants don't like too much moisture -so water them liberally! This won't kill them but may make them move on.

Well we had torrential rain today, so maybe that will scare them off

soul619

i went to visit family friday and came home at 1am to fine hundereds of the little !!!!!s in my kitchen :eek: i cried! i hate ants its bad enough that they are everywhere in my garden but my house too.... was up till 3am cleaning killing and bleaching things

went and got some nippon today could only get the powder but its seems to have stopped them getting in we just have the few hiding that kep coming out to be squished now. stupid air vents at the front of the house lead to under the kitchen cupboards and we cant get under there as the fronts are kinda molded to the floor tiles

ginnyknit

I found ants climbing up the recycling bag that has my aluminium cans in - bad girl I am I mustn't have rinsed a couple - so I sprinkled borax on the bag and haven't seen an ant all day!

apexblue

Sprinkle baby talc where they are coming into - works inside and outside but no sure about soil. They don't like the feel of it on their legs.

Lotus-eater

Ants don't usually eat plants, but will very often farm aphids on various types of plants.
http://www.antnest.co.uk/diet.html
When I have this, I don't get rid of the ants, I get rid of the aphids. But you can get rid of the ants, but usually another nest just moves into the prime position of the aphid farm.

The only time I really have problems with ants, is on strawberries, so I do occasionally kill off a nest, or a red ants nest where the kids play. I don't worry about black ants around the kids, they know they don't sting and are very unlikely to bite, as usual I prefer to teach them to enjoy the varied wildlife, rather than be afraid of it.

kate83

I've got loads of black ants in the bottom half of the garden where it's under a big oak tree this year, never seen anything like it - I think they're getting blown out of the tree as I know it has loads of aphids in it. They're all over my daughters play equipment, compost bins and fruit trees. I glad to see they don't bite but there's so many of them everywhere. I've got chickens but daren't let them out as I've just planted some new gooseberry cordons (which they'll strip in seconds!).

In fact I think I may have just figured out why I've not seen them before - the chickens normally have the run of that area but not this year due to the new plants - I wonder if they normally eat them before I see them? I might have to fence off the plants and let them at the little b*****s