Ants are amazing creatures. Think about it. They live in large, complex colonies, they are hardworking creatures, and they can even carry loads up to a hundred times their weight!<\/p>\n
Ants<\/a> are generally beneficial to your garden. Being natural predators, they can hunt other insects or pests that are in your garden<\/a> or lawn<\/a>. Ants also aid in pollination when they are foraging. They simply hunt and go about their task without being a nuisance.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a homeowner with an outdoor space, you would likely think, \u2018Can ants damage my garden?\u2019 The answer is, not always. In fact, ants can be helpful in maintaining it.<\/p>\n
As mentioned, they eat other insects, therefore reducing the number of pests in the garden. However, ants also build nests around the roots of plants, which can hinder plant growth and make it vulnerable to pests and diseases.<\/p>\n
Moreover, some ant species protect aphids from other predators like ladybirds. Why? Because ants eat honeydew, the liquid secreted by aphids when they themselves eat plants. And you know all too well that aphids are harmful for plants as they are sap-sucking insects that can drain leaves of their moisture and stunt the growth of your flowering plants and shrubs.<\/p>\n
So, while ants may not directly act as pests and destroy your foliage, they can still damage your garden<\/a> by disrupting root growth and letting aphids go rampant.<\/p>\n
First thing to do is to find out where these ants are concentrating within the garden. Check the soil. If there are too many ants in the soil, chances are they have already built their nests underneath the land, stunting your plant roots. Once this happens, it\u2019s time to get rid of the entire ant source.<\/p>\n
Here are a few natural methods that you can try:<\/p>\n
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This is the most commonly used natural method to get rid of ants. When you have located the ant nest, pour boiling water inside. Remember that an ant nest can have a number of entrances, so it\u2019s best if you observe the ants\u2019 movement first and pour water into these locations. Do this a couple of times until there are no more ants coming from or going to the source.<\/p>\n
For this formula, just mix boric acid and sugar until you get a paste-like consistency. Then, place small amounts of this paste around the ant nest. The sugar will attract the ants, and they will carry the paste back to the nest. The boric acid will work after a few minutes, exterminating the queen and the rest of the ants.<\/p>\n
Mix \u00bd teaspoon of dishwashing liquid with 1 \u00bd teaspoons of cooking oil, preferably olive oil or canola oil, and some water. Pour this mixture over the ant nest you\u2019ve located. You can also use this to spray directly on crawling ants. The mixture suffocates the ants and kills them right away.<\/p>\n
Pour about a litre of white vinegar directly on the nest. While the ants won\u2019t be instantly killed, the smell will force them to leave the nest, which will cause them to eventually starve to death. You can also use a vinegar solution where you mix one part water to two parts vinegar. Use this solution to spray around your plants, and even inside your home. What\u2019s great about vinegar is that it\u2019s bad for ants, but it\u2019s not harmful to your plants.<\/p>\n
Diatomaceous earth (DE)<\/a> is a powdery substance made of fossilized diatoms, a type of hard-shelled aquatic organism. Food-grade DE is actually used for detoxifying the body and purifying water, but it can also be very effective against insects, including ants.<\/p>\n
You can get rid of ants by adding some herbs to your garden<\/a>. Rosemary, chamomile, chives, catnip and peppermint naturally repel ants. You can put an assortment of insect-repelling plants in your garden bed or lawn to keep your other greenery protected.<\/p>\n