This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Ants / Ants nest killing lavender hidcote plants
v_l_mason
Posts: 2
I have lavender plants lining my driveway and recently noticed one plant had died. I thought this was unusual as the rest were thriving however put it down to perhaps it being on top of a miner bee nest (which I knew we had from planting them last spring). I've recently noticed the plant next to it rapidly dying even though it was thriving so I've dug around and found an ants nest. I've read the recommended natural ways of getting rid of ants but I'm worried that by doing this it'll simply send the ants to the rest of my lavendar plants. Anyone come across this before and can help please?
Last edited: 31 July 2017 18:41:57
0
Posts
I also have an ants' nest - mine is under a new rose. I'm interested if they can be damaging. Thanks,
Ants don't damage plants in the way other 'pests' do - it's their tunnelling below the plant which is the issue as it causes large holes around roots, which are then sitting in fresh air. The plant has no soil medium below and around it, causing it to collapse and die.
If you thoroughly soak the plants ( do the whole hedge if necessary) it should encourage the ants to go elsewhere, as they like nice, dry conditions. Do that every couple of days over the next week or so and check to see if the ants have moved on. Although lavender can cope with drought, it doesn't mean they can't cope with water, so it won't do the plants any harm - assuming you have them in a suitable site, with decent drainage. You can then address the holes around the plants by adding new compost/soil etc.
Drainage caused by ants however, is drainage taken a step too far
I'm also assuming there isn't another issue there with the plants, of course.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Great. Thanks
Thanks so much!
It's my best guess without seeing photos or having more info.
The dry weather many parts of the country have experienced, has probably exacerbated ant activity this year. It may be too late for some of your plants, but hopefully you can recove them. You could also try lifting and potting up the dodgiest looking ones, to give them a chance to come back, and then replant at a later date, but it depends how far gone they are.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...