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Ants mounding soil above ground around rose stems

iamjowilsoniamjowilson Posts: 67
in Problem solving
I have a relatively newly planted rose which ants appear to be nesting under and above ground they are encasing the lower 3-4 inches of stems with soil. It’s not a general mound that happens to be where the stems are - they appear to be deliberately building off the stems. I have blasted the stems clean with water but they are immediately back at it and have them covered again in a matter of hours. Is this a problem for the plant? I’ll leave them to it if it’s not going to damage the rose but it looks rather bizarre and alarming… 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Their nest will be down among the roots and they're trying to extend their nest upwards to have better drainage and ventilation, given the recent wet weather.  I would give the whole area a good soaking with several buckets of water poured slowly so that it soaks in rather than runs off the surface.  If that doesn't decide them that the rose bed is no longer a suitable home, then I'd use nematodes to move them on ... this sort of thing. 
    https://www.nematodesdirect.co.uk/9-no-ants-nematodes

    Hope that helps  :)

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





  • iamjowilsoniamjowilson Posts: 67
    Thank you, that is just what I needed to know! 😃
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Good luck 🤞 

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





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