Getting Rid of Ants in Houseplants

This is a picture of my sickly Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen). She stays inside with me. She hasn't been doing well, lately. Maybe it's the company she keeps. Somehow, I sorta doubt that.

I gave her a drink of water and promised her, come tomorrow, I would bathe her, feed her, and give her a nice new top dressing. (I think she feels pretty when I put a new dress on her).

A minute after giving her water, I noticed ants crawling from the base of the pot. I was sure they had set up housekeeping and that there were hundreds in the pot. I was right. I took Miss Agla outside and sat her in a shop vacuum cleaner tank. I filled the tank with water.

You should have seen the hundreds of ants scurrying away. Most every one was carrying an egg. Future generations to kill Miss Agla. Not if I can help it. She will stay in the lethal water bath, overnight.

I have posted several tips on ThriftyFun. Some were mediocre, some were darn good. I think this is the best tip I have ever offered. No poisons, no expense, and a sure fire way to get rid of ants in potted plants. If there is any drawback, it would be that the procedure may have to be repeated in a couple months, should a new hoard of ants make another nest in the pot. Submerging plants occasionally is good for them, anyway, ants or not. It helps close in air pockets that form in the soil.

When you are doing everything right for your plant, and it still won't respond, check for ants. I should have checked Miss Agla a month ago. No real harm done, though. I caught the ants in time. Within a month, she should be looking as a prize specimen worthy of a blue ribbon.

(Don't tell her I referred to her as a 'specimen'. She is very sensitive, (You know how ladies can be)).