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Red ants everywhere
GuernseyGreenie
Posts: 11
Hi everyone
I'm looking for some advice about problems we are having with red ants.
They are all over our garden. We have them all over the lawn in patches. I can almost live with these unless we start getting bitten.
However, they seem to enjoy our greenhouse evening more. Every pot has red ants underneath, and they are causing destruction by burrowing out around the roots of plants. I can't believe how much soil they can move so quickly!
I really don't want to use ant powder or similar. I've read up tat they don't like peppermint, so I've sprinkled some mint leaves around the place, and I'm going to buy some peppermint oil.
Does anyone have any other tips?
Thank you!!
0
Posts
Pennyroyal is the plant you want, not peppermint. Clove oil is good for sending them on to new pastures but, mostly, they live and nest where it is dry so I suspect you need more water in your pots and greenhouse. Give everything a good drenching and then, if you can, water regularly or set up an irrigation system.
I've found that nematodes work well. They don't kill the ants apparently but persuade them to relocate.
I found lots of water encourages them to relocate, as Obelixx already stated. I heavily water the area of their nests in the grass, as well as any pots they happen to have moved into. Put your entire pot and plant in a deep bucket of water up to the rim and let it soak for 10 minutes.. most of the ants come scrambling up and out. You might have to do it a second time, a few days later, if you still notice them.