Ants are unwelcome visitors that can turn a thriving garden into a battleground. These tiny but persistent insects can cause serious damage to plants and crops, leaving gardeners in despair.
However, ant control does not necessarily have to involve the use of harmful chemicals. There are effective and environmentally friendly methods that allow you to get rid of ants in the garden without harming the environment and beneficial insects.
Natural repellents
Many plants have natural ant-repelling properties.
Planting lavender, mint, garlic, or marigolds around the perimeter of your garden can create a natural barrier that ants will not want to penetrate. These aromatic plants will not only protect your garden, but will also add beauty and fragrance.
Coffee grounds and cinnamon
Using coffee grounds and cinnamon is a simple yet effective way to repel ants.
Scattered around the beds or at the entrance to the anthill, these substances create an unpleasant smell and texture for insects. In addition, coffee grounds serve as an excellent fertilizer for the soil, enriching it with nitrogen.
Boric acid and sugar
A mixture of boric acid and sugar is an effective bait for ants. The insects, attracted by the sweet smell, bring this mixture to the anthill, where it acts as a poison, destroying the colony from the inside.
It is important to use this method with caution, placing baits out of the reach of children and pets.
Vinegar solution
Spraying ant trails and insect congregation areas with a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water will help disrupt their chemical trails and disorient them.
Regular use of this method will force the ants to look for new routes and eventually leave the garden area.
Hot water
A simple but effective way to combat anthills is to use hot water.
Carefully pouring boiling water directly into the nest can destroy a significant portion of the colony. However, this method requires caution to avoid damaging nearby plants.
Diatomaceous earth
Using diatomaceous earth, a natural powder made from fossilized algae, is a plant-safe way to control ants.
Scattered around garden beds or on ant trails, it acts as a mechanical insecticide, damaging the exoskeleton of insects and causing them to dehydrate.
Creating barriers
Physical barriers can be an effective way to protect plants from ants. Using sticky tape or chalk powder around tree trunks and the base of plants creates a barrier that ants cannot penetrate.
Maintaining cleanliness
Regularly clearing fallen fruit, removing weeds, and keeping the garden generally clean will significantly reduce the attractiveness of the area to ants. A clean garden deprives the insects of food sources and shelter, forcing them to seek more suitable habitats.
Earlier we talked about how to choose a place for black currants .
