How to deal with ants?

What to do if your garden is attacked by ants?

Gardening is often calming, helps you forget everyday worries, and gives you a sense of satisfaction when you grow your own crops. However, there are also some challenges to this activity. One of them is ants. Although they play an important role in the ecosystem, too many ants can cause significant damage to your garden.

Some ant species feed on plant buds, fruit and vegetable juices, plant roots, the bark of shoots, chew on flower stamens and pistils, and more. All this can lead to lower yields or even the death of garden plants. So if you notice that your garden is also full of ants, don't wait and take action! In this article, we will tell you the main ways to fight ants in your garden. 

Where do ants congregate?

To get ants out of your garden, the first step is to understand where they are most likely to gravitate. Ants usually prefer areas of the garden with plenty of food sources, moisture and various crevices where they can move their colony. This is why they often target fruit trees, greenhouses, flowerbeds or even the foundations of houses.

Also, as ants feed on sweet and protein-rich food, they are particularly fond of aphid excretions. Aphids become useful to them, so ants are very protective of them. This union is certainly not good for any gardener, as aphids are garden pests that spread viruses and bacteria, weakening and deforming plants, resulting in a significant reduction in their yield. 

Keep your garden clean

The first thing you should do to get rid of ants is to keep your garden clean. What does this mean? Always pick up organic rubbish, such as fallen fruit or dead leaves, where ants can find shelter and food. Also prune plants to prevent overgrowth and to reduce the number of hiding places where ants can harbour. Quality Gardena garden tools such as rakes, pruning saws, hedge trimmers, and more are ideal for these tasks. 

Use plant scents to combat ants

You might be surprised, but ants are quite sensitive to different smells. Therefore, you can combat excessive numbers by using a variety of plants that smell unpleasant to these insects and repel them. These include mint, garlic, cloves, bay, mustard, lavender, calendula and many others. We suggest planting them near ant nests. 

Try natural remedies

Some natural remedies can also be an effective way to repel ants. These include vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, coffee grounds and salt. It is recommended to pour or sprinkle them on areas where ants breed frequently. In addition, you can also try a solution of household soap, which should also be sprayed on the problem areas. Ants do not like the smell of household soap, so this solution should deter them. However, when using these products, be very careful to check whether ants have moved to another part of your property. 

Use boric acid

Finally, if all the above methods have already been tried and have not produced the desired result, use boric acid powder, which can be bought at any pharmacy. Mix it in equal parts with icing sugar or another sweet product and sprinkle this mixture on the ants' nest. As we have already mentioned, ants feed on sweet food, and they will be happy to eat it, but as soon as they do, they will become poisoned and die. If you use boric acid powder, be sure to keep children and animals away from it!

In fact, if you find too many ants in your greenhouse, make sure that the structure is sufficiently tight so that there are no cracks or gaps through which ants can enter. Also, remember to keep it clean by always collecting any organic debris that could attract ants.