ANTS IN SOIL!?

[Massgrower98]

I'm growing in a living soil with worms , compost, earth worm castings, pretty much doing no til living super soil... when I put my pots outside I dug holes and placed the pots in the ground and poked holes through the bottom of the pots to make the root mass bigger ... then today I checked the soil and theres a few ants in each pot along with potatoe bugs, centipedes, and arthropods so I'm just wondering what I should do about the ants , I know the other bugs aren't that bad but ants can be invasive any advice much appreciated...

 

[One drop]

Move the crop and flood the bag ants don't like that you can also get ant rid it is a poison but it only works on ants .good luck regards OD.

 

[Kanzeon]

Putting a plant in living soil outside will attract all kinds of things- you're essentially combining ecosystems. I wouldn't worry about ants unless you see they're doing damage to the plant.

 

[Massgrower98]

View attachment 978134

Putting a plant in living soil outside will attract all kinds of things- you're essentially combining ecosystems. I wouldn't worry about ants unless you see they're doing damage to the plant.

Right I know good bugs are suppose to find there way to my soil I was just wondering about the ants ...

 

[oldskol4evr]

are you by chance putting molasses in there?
also they are attracted to wet soil,be because it hot or to much rain drove them from down deep

 

[BogartAmungus]

Right I know good bugs are suppose to find there way to my soil I was just wondering about the ants ...

F%$# ANTS! I hate those MF's! They farm and protect aphids. I can't get rid of them in my garden. No matter what I try that's SAFE for me and my family to consume. Bifen works well but contaminates the soil. Spinosad is SUPPOSED to work...NOT! All I can do is target them in the yard and landscape. You can try beneficial nematodes. I tried that in early spring. Obviously it didn't work or more just moved in from neighboring yards. I sprayed nematodes in my smart pots too to control fungus gnats b4 they emerged. I have not seen any but who knows if i had eggs or not. You can also use food grade diatomaceous earth. Good luck. You should be ok in that but once they get a foothold in your outside gardens look out for aphids.

 

[quirk]

I never go into my garden without my Natural Guard Spinosad Soap. Organic. Do not use on flowers, as it will kill bees.

 

[Massgrower98]

F%$# ANTS! I hate those MF's! They farm and protect aphids. I can't get rid of them in my garden. No matter what I try that's SAFE for me and my family to consume. Bifen works well but contaminates the soil. Spinosad is SUPPOSED to work...NOT! All I can do is target them in the yard and landscape. You can try beneficial nematodes. I tried that in early spring. Obviously it didn't work or more just moved in from neighboring yards. I sprayed nematodes in my smart pots too to control fungus gnats b4 they emerged. I have not seen any but who knows if i had eggs or not. You can also use food grade diatomaceous earth. Good luck. You should be ok in that but once they get a foothold in your outside gardens look out for aphids.

Yeah I was thinking of using nematodes but you said they didnt really work to kill off the ants?

 

[BogartAmungus]

Yeah I was thinking of using nematodes but you said they didnt really work to kill off the ants?

The thing with nematodes is really need a microscope to see how many and or active ones you have. I could have been spraying dead or none who really knows lol. You are banking on the integrity of the seller. They need to stay refrigerated during shipping. So they can spoil if not packed right this time of year. But try some orange, mint or rosemary essential oil in water with some castile soap or dr bronners sal suds as a surfactant maybe too. I use those and clove oil with neem once a week right now in my garden for aphids and the essential oil is a deterrent

 

[BogartAmungus]

Im adding this too lol maybe it'll deter the rabbits too.

 

[oldskol4evr]

seen some ceder mulch today at feed store,might give it a try

 

[Massgrower98]

The thing with nematodes is really need a microscope to see how many and or active ones you have. I could have been spraying dead or none who really knows lol. You are banking on the integrity of the seller. They need to stay refrigerated during shipping. So they can spoil if not packed right this time of year. But try some orange, mint or rosemary essential oil in water with some castile soap or dr bronners sal suds as a surfactant maybe too. I use those and clove oil with neem once a week right now in my garden for aphids and the essential oil is a deterrent

So can I use that as a soil drench ? Because all the ants are in my soil not on the plant ...

 

[SpartanHero]

F%$# ANTS! I hate those MF's! They farm and protect aphids. I can't get rid of them in my garden. No matter what I try that's SAFE for me and my family to consume. Bifen works well but contaminates the soil. Spinosad is SUPPOSED to work...NOT! All I can do is target them in the yard and landscape. You can try beneficial nematodes. I tried that in early spring. Obviously it didn't work or more just moved in from neighboring yards. I sprayed nematodes in my smart pots too to control fungus gnats b4 they emerged. I have not seen any but who knows if i had eggs or not. You can also use food grade diatomaceous earth. Good luck. You should be ok in that but once they get a foothold in your outside gardens look out for aphids.

I was gonna say this! Ants attract aphids. If it’s not really infested try sprinkling a tablespoon of cinnamon on the soil, ants are supposed to hate it and go running. Or oils like this person said, I think peppermint and clove and some other kind, just look it up to be specific. I tried the cinnamon and it seemed to work but it was indoors. (I’m still on the lookout for aphids though).

 

[Greatlakes]

Yes try nematodes! And honestly.... would be spreading diatomaceous earth on the soil when it's not raining every chance I got.

 

[Slap]

I
I didn't look to see how old this thread was....but gonna give my 2 cents anyway. I use D. E in my yard to deter ants from where I don't want them. Works great! Put it on top of the ants or put a barrier with no breaks in it, around plant, they won"t cross it. Be careful when watering, you won't have to reapply as often, if u can keep it dry. Food Grade Only!!!!! Best to follow trail or find their point of entry. On my lemon tree and tomato plants I only use a couple drops of dish soap and veg. Oil to kill aphids. It's cheap and safe. I wouldn't use during flower. U can also sprinkle D. E underneath, at base of plant. A few ants can be a good thing, sometimes. But, not if u have aphids, Ants eat the sweet secretions, aphids leave behind. They also eat termites and larvae of bad bugs and can jack up root systems, if they nest there.