How to keep aphids and ants at bay
arthur-clark
Posts: 4
Hello All,
I'm a first time gardener and currently have carrots, french beans, courgettes, cucumbers and Marrows on the grow.
I was wondering whether anyone had any advice on keeping ants at bay.
I came across the ant nest on the edge of my patch. I begun to start digging it out to powder them and came across a bumble bee nest right next door. Bumble bee nests are quite rare and I don't have the heart to destroy it, so have had to put up with the ants also.
Since then I have come across some aphids on my green beans. I have squished and destroyed those that were there and sprayed with soapy water, but when I look at the green beans I can see a lot of ants in amongst them.
I know ants eat the honeydew and can even 'farm' the aphids, so I'm not happy about either of them being there.
Does anyone have any advice on keeping the ants away from my veggie patch, and while we're at it the control of aphids.
As I say, first time gardener so please bear with me! 
Posts
Ants build their nests in dry soil ... so keep your veg patch well watered.
Encourage blue tits etc to your garden ... hang feeders near your veg patch ... when they get used to coming to your garden for food they'll hoover up the aphids.
And well done for resisting the insecticidal powder ... ladybirds and lacewings will establish in a garden where insecticides are not used, and they'll help eat the aphids too.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.