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Ants nest & cherry tree

spookessspookess Posts: 63
edited April 2021 in Fruit & veg
Hi all. I have a dwarf sweet cherry tree growing in a container and have noticed a few ants of late wandering around the branches. Just been admiring the first lot of blossom and noticed a lot more ants. A bit of investigation and it appears there is an ants nest in the compost around the base of the tree which, (knowing what ants are like), probably goes through the whole lot of the compost. Can anyone offer any suggestions on how to get rid of these? 

My first (and only) idea is to re-pot it, shaking off any compost from the roots and spraying them with the hose to dislodge any clinger-ants. But I don't want to damage the tree.
I only got this tree last year and it has just produced its first blossom indicating I might actually get a couple of cherries off it this year, just one lot of visible blossom though so maybe not many  (I believe its about 2 or so years old?). 
Thanks on advance. 
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2021
    Keep the soil in the container moist. Ants like dry soil. 

     I can also recommend a herbal deterrent spray called ExAnts made in Germany and available via Amazon. Spray the trunk of the tree and the ants won’t go anywhere near it. They hate the smell, but it is quite safe and won’t harm the tree, the ants or you. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Yes, keep the compost moist and stand it in a saucer of water to make sure it soaks up the water rather than letting it drain thru.  Once it gets this dry it can be hard to re-wet.

    A small bottle of essential oil of cloves mixed into 5 litres of water and poured over the compost - once wet - will deter the ants as they hate the smell.   Good pharmacies and health stores will have it.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • GravelEaterGravelEater Posts: 124
    Had general success with Home Defence "Ant Stop" granules.
    Normally goes on a multibuy or decent discount in supermarkets to pick with your once per week shop, else somewhere online might do a nice price.

    I don't know quite how toxic it is to other things, but we have put it in a couple of plant pots, mixing in with the compost because there were some ant's we saw when repotting.  I know this is anecdotal information so different plants/conditions to what we had may work out badly.

    Normally, when I see a few ants, I sprinkle a little shaking of the granules around the area, and/or leave a little pile.  They'll pick it up, eat it there, or carry back to the nest.  It seems to be effective - the ants aren't seen again.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    We have green woodpeckers and hoopoes here who eat ants and other insects and grubs they find in the gravel and short grass so poison is definitely not an option and nor are any pesticides except, very occasionally, sachets of rat poison stuffed down holes and then sealed to stop any other critter getting them..
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    If you want to kill the ants rather than move them on, get a larger pot and soak the cherry tree in it pot and all, leave it in there for a few hours. don't forget it though!
    After you've gotten rid of the ants keep the soil moist and they won't want to set up home again there.
  • spookessspookess Posts: 63
    Thanks for all the suggestions 😊 I have ordered some clove essential oil as moving the pot to stand it in water isn't really an option as it weighs a LOT. We had to use a sack barrow to move it to another part of the garden last year and it bent the metal bed part it was sat on 🤭.
    I will get ready with a flame gun to burn any waves of ants that come flooding out once the essential oil/water mix has been added 🤣🔥🔫 (jokes)
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    The ants have done you a favour really, they are letting you know that you've let the pot get far too dry!  Your tree will benefit now. 
  • SophieKSophieK Posts: 244
    I had the same issue, used ant nematode, drenched the pot and ket it moist until I could plant it in the ground. It worked well.
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    Thanks for the tips re ExAnts and oil of cloves. Useful - I often have ants in pots. 

    Is it just me, or does anyone else get KT Tunstall going round their head every time they see the title of this thread?

    No? Just me then. As you were.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited April 2021
    No, @LG_ not a regular on French radio here.  probably wouldn't recognise it anyway as they tend to play 3 or 4 in a row and gabble the artists' names.  I have learned to recognise Jean-Jacques Goldman tho cos his horrid, whiny voice makes me reach for the off button along with Lady Gaga murdering anything from A Star is Born..
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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