Ants all over the garden

djembe_caz

There's absolutely bazillions in my garden. They're swarming in the compost bin and the flower beds. I don't mind ants, insects are vital to nature, but it's a seriously huge swarming amount. I don't want to put down chemicals if I can help it though.

Will they actually damage my veg patch, plants or compost though? I'll water the compost to see if that helps.

I've heard if you drench the key areas (without drowning the plants) they go away. Don't know if that works though.

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

When I was little, my parents used a mix of water and washing up liquid. Seemed to do the trick!

Sweetsyd

My problem is they're under our patio and it's now incredibly uneven and will have to be taken up and relaid but want to get rid of the ants first so it doesn't happen again! So would lifting the patio, pouring boiling water over and once dry, add ant powder work?? I don't like killing things either but past attempts to get rid of them just resulted in them moving around the garden.

whowants2brich

I wouldn't recommend this if you're female, but a few days ago I went into the garden and saw a black patch on the path, looked closer and saw a huge group of black ants crawling around. So I decided to "go to the toilet" and sure enough they haven't been seen on the path since. Apparently urine is something they're not keen on, funnily enough, it might not kill them but certainly makes them move on. I've stopped short of peeing all over the pathway, but could be tempted to pee into a bucket, dilute with water, and hose over the whole patio to push them away...

crazyguy

I found an ants nest and actualy done a wee on it and it got rid of them !

jtk174

They seem to set up shop anywhere. Under bits of wood or a large stones are favourite in my polytunnel, so now I put up more places for them to move in!
In a couple of weeks you will find they have made a new nest and thats the time to spray them with the ant powder.
Be aware that as soon as you move the wood or brick, they start moving the eggs immediately ( hundreds of little white dots lying on the ground ). Of course spaying the nest won't get them all because some of them will be out at work! So keep at it.
I wouldn't spray if you grow fruit and veg etc and the plants are in flower.

If you have ever been bitten by an ant, you wouldn't be saying live and let live. They can be quite painfull

redglass_2

djembe_caz wrote: »

Will they actually damage my veg patch, plants or compost though? I'll water the compost to see if that helps.

They'll damage the plants if they set up aphid farms on them, which is what they are doing in my allotment right now. As fast as I can get the aphids off my gooseberries, the ants bring them back.

Think I'll take a bottle of pee down there and see how they like that in their nest. In the past I have moved them on with dried couscous (if the queen eats dehydrated food it swells inside her and bursts her, and the colony dies) but it doesn't seem to be working this year. Perhaps they've got wise.

marich

Have you tried mixing Polyfilla (or plaster of Paris) and caster sugar . They love sugar ... If you add flour it does for rodents too .

Oldbiggles

If you have ants in your lawn and you use undiluted urine on them you will also kill the grass. However if you first dilute the urine with water (5 water to 1 urine) and spry the lawn with this mixture you will discourage the ants and your lawn will flourish and green up beautifully.

(Afterthought, of course it helps to have a full tank before you start.)

So drink up.....:beer::beer: