How do I get rid of ants? I wish to get rid of the ants outside before they find the way inside. I really hate them on my strawberry plants. The plants are right next to the sidewalk and deck and the little fellas/gals are coming closer and closer to the door way.
Try diatomaceous earth. I was having problems with pillbugs on my strawberries, and the guy at the nursery recommended it, instead of poisons. It is made up of finely ground up fossils, and the sharp edges cut up the insects and also dry them out, but it is harmless to pets and kids.
sprinkle borax around and they will take it to their hill,if you can find the hill sprinkle it there.
Sugar ants are attracted to the sugar in what ever is around. No, they don't bother a thing, except they can eat the fruit we grow. They are for cleaning up the environment. I'd not hate them, but to control them I'd sprinkle used coffee grounds around each hill, or buy Amdro, to kill the queen. Ants are something God says to observe and consider how hard they work and continually work. He made them for a good purpose, but gave us permission to "subdue" (control) them. I hope this helps? Don't use pest spray. Good luck and God bless you. : )
I've always had good luck by spraying around my foundation and walkways with Lemon Joy and water - for some reason Joy works better than any other lemon dish soap. Add enough Joy so that you have some suds that remain after spraying.
I can think of one good thing, they are held up as example in Proverbs Ch 6 as an example of industriousness.
Sounds like your strawberries are going into a big barrel next year for a container, one that has sticky paper on the sides! I know you don't want to put sickening chemicals into your garden dirt, and they will find their way around any netting, so putting distance between them and those fragrant berries might help.
Sprinkle aspertame around the deck and sidewalk. Ants hate it.
Or you could try my lateral thinking approach which worked for me. One summer streams of ants were coming in at the door of my balcony (second floor apartment) and making straight for my cat food dishes, I stood the cats dishes in water, I tried this and that, but still they came. SO... I wondered if the ants had their OWN dish of food out on the balcony would they bother coming inside? I tried it out, with saucers of sweet stuff, jam, honey, mixed with a little water, other things that I thought might be ant
Delectables. It worked! They stayed on the balcony feeding from 'their' food source and didn't come inside!.
GO to Diatect.com - they have what you need and it is 100 % safe for you and pets. You can read up on it there. Your problem is solved and you can enjoy again. It works inside and out in rain or not ! Take care and BE HAppy.
" Thank you everyone! With all the suggestions I think I have my problem licked. " HappyWonder a.k.a Lia
I have had trouble with my strawberries for the last two years and found it may be because of ants, so I use diacetomous earth and sprinkle it on the plant, it is used for the filters on swimming pools
could find nothing about white flies on my plants but very helpful with ant help.""""
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have two pots on our deck with strawberries planted in them. The ants have taken over the pots. I have used Sevin dust, but they are still there. Is there anything I can put on them that won't kill the berries or me?
This happens to me a lot, with pots on the ground, deck, porch, anywhere. If the pots are not so heavy that they can be lifted, put them in a larger container. The larger container doesn't have to be large enough that you can submerge the strawberry pots in water, though this is quicker. If the larger container will hold a couple inches of water, this is OK. Leave the strawberry pots in the water overnight, allowing the water to wick up to the top of the strawberry pots.
This will not hurt the strawberries, it will be good for them. After you set the pots in the water, water thoroughly from above, as well. This will help the dirt in the pots to settle and fill in pockets made by the ants.
If you have the terra cotta strawberry pots with solid bottoms and holes up the sides, you would probably need to submerge the whole pot.
