I have two Rose's one an iceberg climber and the other golden beauty, both seem to have ants nests right in the centre of the plant. Both plants about a year old. Does anyone have any ideas how to deal with this?
Ants dislike damp soil. They may have moved in when the soil was much drier during the summer. Next year ensure the soil around the rose-bush roots doesn’t dry out and they’ll move the nest elsewhere. They may still visit your rose as they like to feed on the honeydew secreted by aphids, but as long as the nest isn’t around the roots the ants shouldn’t cause a huge problem.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
As @Dovefromabove has said, they [ants] tend to like drier conditions for their nests, while roses won't like that so much, so just ensure the soil is in good health. If they're tight up against a wall [especially] or a fence, that tends to be a rain shadow too, depending on the aspect, so it's important to make sure they don't get too dry. Most climbers are better given a bit of space between them and a wall/fence. Easier in a more open position.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If they're tight up against a wall [especially] or a fence, that tends to be a rain shadow too, depending on the aspect, so it's important to make sure they don't get too dry. Most climbers are better given a bit of space between them and a wall/fence. Easier in a more open position.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...