how to get rid of ants!

Rosa_Damascena

Borax is a very effective remedy but as you point out @Brie poses a toxicity risk to certain animals including cats.

Speaking of bedding plants - are they out for sale / on multi-buy offer as yet? I've seen some geraniums at Lidl but the B&Q website is offering plugs only. We have a huge new B&M in town in what was the Wilko site, but they don't have fresh bedding plants either. I'm itching to get planting now!!!

Farway

Rosa_Damascena said:

Borax is a very effective remedy but as you point out @Brie poses a toxicity risk to certain animals including cats.

Speaking of bedding plants - are they out for sale / on multi-buy offer as yet? I've seen some geraniums at Lidl but the B&Q website is offering plugs only. We have a huge new B&M in town in what was the Wilko site, but they don't have fresh bedding plants either. I'm itching to get planting now!!!

Morrison's, if your one has a garden section

Brie

Rosa_Damascena said:

Borax is a very effective remedy but as you point out @Brie poses a toxicity risk to certain animals including cats.

Speaking of bedding plants - are they out for sale / on multi-buy offer as yet? I've seen some geraniums at Lidl but the B&Q website is offering plugs only. We have a huge new B&M in town in what was the Wilko site, but they don't have fresh bedding plants either. I'm itching to get planting now!!!

Have you checked around your neighbourhood.  I've got 2 people selling stuff outside there homes for quite low prices - they do so every year.  I assume they got a lot of plugs early on and grow them up and have the excess for resale.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

I feel sorry for all these ants  

Apart from possibly protecting aphids (which is essentially the ants farming) they shouldn’t cause any direct harm to plants and are an important part of the ecosystem helping to provide biodiversity.

Sure I can understand if they are inside but feels a bit sad to boil or poison the poor things if they are outside. 

Brie

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I feel sorry for all these ants  

Apart from possibly protecting aphids (which is essentially the ants farming) they shouldn’t cause any direct harm to plants and are an important part of the ecosystem helping to provide biodiversity.

Sure I can understand if they are inside but feels a bit sad to boil or poison the poor things if they are outside. 

so the ants aren't responsible for destroying the plants I put in those pots?  Happy to leave them if that's the case even if they do get very bitey with me when I'm digging down through their nests!!

Rosa_Damascena

Brie said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I feel sorry for all these ants  

Apart from possibly protecting aphids (which is essentially the ants farming) they shouldn’t cause any direct harm to plants and are an important part of the ecosystem helping to provide biodiversity.

Sure I can understand if they are inside but feels a bit sad to boil or poison the poor things if they are outside. 

so the ants aren't responsible for destroying the plants I put in those pots?  Happy to leave them if that's the case even if they do get very bitey with me when I'm digging down through their nests!!

You're not wrong! I found to my cost they deliver a powerful nip.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Brie said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I feel sorry for all these ants  

Apart from possibly protecting aphids (which is essentially the ants farming) they shouldn’t cause any direct harm to plants and are an important part of the ecosystem helping to provide biodiversity.

Sure I can understand if they are inside but feels a bit sad to boil or poison the poor things if they are outside. 

so the ants aren't responsible for destroying the plants I put in those pots?  Happy to leave them if that's the case even if they do get very bitey with me when I'm digging down through their nests!!

They shouldn't be if the plants don't attract aphids.  

RHS says

https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/ants

Ants do little direct damage to plants, although they can disturb soil around plant roots and deposit it on the surface during their nest building activities. This can be an issue on lawns and where low-growing plants are being buried by excavated soil. They may also disturb plant roots in pots and containers. This disturbance can also mean that plants are more prone to wilting especially when dry at the roots

Which might depend on the plants. Don't know about ants in the UK but some eat slugs which would be a bonus  

prettyandfluffy

Diatom is safe & cheap to use, inside or outside the home.  Sprinkle it across paths used by the ants and around their nest.  It's an inert substance and is safe to mammals and birds but not creepy crawlies.  You can get it in the poultry section of a Country Store or online at Amazon, EBay etc.  

We get ants coming in from the garden, I put a thin line of diatom across the threshold and just have to remember not to hoover it up.

Brie

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Brie said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I feel sorry for all these ants  

Apart from possibly protecting aphids (which is essentially the ants farming) they shouldn’t cause any direct harm to plants and are an important part of the ecosystem helping to provide biodiversity.

Sure I can understand if they are inside but feels a bit sad to boil or poison the poor things if they are outside. 

so the ants aren't responsible for destroying the plants I put in those pots?  Happy to leave them if that's the case even if they do get very bitey with me when I'm digging down through their nests!!

They shouldn't be if the plants don't attract aphids.  

RHS says

https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/ants

Ants do little direct damage to plants, although they can disturb soil around plant roots and deposit it on the surface during their nest building activities. This can be an issue on lawns and where low-growing plants are being buried by excavated soil. They may also disturb plant roots in pots and containers. This disturbance can also mean that plants are more prone to wilting especially when dry at the roots

Which might depend on the plants. Don't know about ants in the UK but some eat slugs which would be a bonus  

Thanks for this!  Except now I have no reason to not get my geraniums in their pots!!!

Farway

Brie said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Brie said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I feel sorry for all these ants  

Apart from possibly protecting aphids (which is essentially the ants farming) they shouldn’t cause any direct harm to plants and are an important part of the ecosystem helping to provide biodiversity.

Sure I can understand if they are inside but feels a bit sad to boil or poison the poor things if they are outside. 

so the ants aren't responsible for destroying the plants I put in those pots?  Happy to leave them if that's the case even if they do get very bitey with me when I'm digging down through their nests!!

They shouldn't be if the plants don't attract aphids.  

RHS says

https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/ants

Ants do little direct damage to plants, although they can disturb soil around plant roots and deposit it on the surface during their nest building activities. This can be an issue on lawns and where low-growing plants are being buried by excavated soil. They may also disturb plant roots in pots and containers. This disturbance can also mean that plants are more prone to wilting especially when dry at the roots

Which might depend on the plants. Don't know about ants in the UK but some eat slugs which would be a bonus  

Thanks for this!  Except now I have no reason to not get my geraniums in their pots!!!

Vine weevils?