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Black ants all over my acer.
as007
Posts: 94
Hi just inspecting my Acer and its teaming with black ants. Are these harmful to the acer and if so what can I do to get rid of them? Many thanks
0
Posts
Are there any aphids on the leaves - ants often farm aphids for their honeydew.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Was going to say the same thing Dove, as they do the same my roses.
Also the new leaves seem to be a little dropy. Is this normal?
Edd's right - I would plunge the whole pot in a bucket of water for 30 minutes or so every few days until they have gone. The ants may have excavated a nest inside the pot.
Is it normal for the new spring leaves to be droopy?
Does the acer need potting on? If the leaves are a bit droopy maybe it's potbound and can't get enough water?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
some photos attached.
should the new leaves be droppy?
That's just their normal growth habit - the leaves will be normal when they are fully developed.
PS, I would remove the blue label around the trunk - they can restrict growth and hide pests or become a starting point for a fungal infection. Or is that tape holding it together where it has been split/broken at some point?
the stuipd window cleaner broke a branch off it in Nov last year so i put some electrical tape on it. shall i remove?