In this organic gardening video I’m going to show you 6 ways to get rid of ants in the garden naturally. Ants can be a problem in the garden. You can get rid of ants by using natural methods including items you have at home already like Borax, Honey and Sugar.
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How to Deter 90% of Pests:
TIMESTAMPS
00:30 – Remove attractants
00:53 – Physical Barriers for Ants
01:42 – Natural Ant Repellants
02:22 – Attract Ladybugs and Praying Mantises
02:43 – DIY Ant Trap/Bait using Borax and Sugar
03:49 – Monitor your garden for ant activity
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23 Comments
I noticed a few years ago that if I left a cup of my coffee made with my homemade hazelnut syrup in my car cup holder for very long, the ants would invade it. So, I tried mixing the syrup with Borax in a cup in my car and after a massive invasion, the ants were gone. The syrup is made with raw turbinado sugar and flavored extracts.
I've got a big ant colony on one side of my house. I've tried the DE but it didn't help much. Maybe I just need to dump the whole bag out there LOL. Or reapply after rain….. thanks for all the tips!
I had 8 beautiful cacti which I regularly pruned for nopales. The mealy bugs got in with the ants establishing a symbiotic relationship with them. I tried to take them down with soap but couldn't keep up. I lost all the plants.
For the first time this morning I went out and in my green stalk was huge grass hopppers. WHat?????????????? Munching away
I'm in central Alabama. Ive been using spent coffee grains on the ant hills. In last few years number of hill reduced by at least 90%. Usually it takes just one application, sometimes a few.
I use cinnamon to chase off fire ants.
Ants ants ants! Nothing really works
I'm in NW Georgia and ants are my main problem in the garden even without aphids. I've tried boric acid and sugar with good success except with fire ants. I've tried that and cinnamon on fire ants and it just doesn't seem to work. The fire ants either aren't attracted to the sugar or know not to eat it. I've seen a couple of videos say that orange oil and blue dawn dish soap work. I'm going to give that a try.
I'm in 6 B(?) & had a problem with the larger Red Ants in the back of my veggie garden; they seemed to be going across to the opposite side to gather something from where the pumpkins were- they were VERY aggressive, coming "after/towards" me even when I would spray them with the hose ! I never saw them in the garden bed with the other veggies, but even if I walked in the back of the garden (gravel "walkway"), they would come up & after me in DROVES !! Don't know where they came from (never had the larger red ones in the yard before), but they seemed to have disappeared as fast as they showed up. I contacted an exterminator, but because they were so close to the veggies, we decided NOT to do anything. Thanks for the info, will try one of them next year !
From the San Antonio Water System, use 1 gallon water, 6 T BLUE Dawn, 3 T Orange Oil. Mix and pour on the Fire Ant mound. This works well to get rid of ants in areas that produce food. I HATE these ants! You have no idea the harm they can do to you before you're aware you're in their territory…which by the way, is MY garden.
i love watching people pour molten hot Aluminum metal down inside ant mounds
I have used the borax/sugar traps for years and it really works but don't get the Borax on your soil. Plants don't like it much and it takes quite a while to break it down
Just for the record, Borax IS toxic/poisonous, but safe when handled carefully. Just use common sense and some caution and you'll be fine. Do not put it where kids can get to it though! As little as a teaspoon can be fatal to young children if ingested.
I used to have fire ants everywhere, but now I’ve had an invasion of Crazy Ants. They are everywhere and have killed off all the fire ants as well as other insects and even earthworms! I finally had to have my yard sprayed professionally because they got into the electrical panel and almost caused a fire. They are gone from the yard now, but I’m still battling them around the vegetable garden and chicken coop. I’m using the borax/sugar mix and it helps but they are overwhelming. I’ll try some the methods you mention. Wish me luck!
Hi, I sure could use some advice to control rolly Polly bugs!
I literally watched this and stepped outside my door to a trail of fire ants trying to make their way inside.
Borax works on cock roaches, too. Have had good luck with cinnamon also
BORAX WILL KILL DOGS & CATS IF THEY SWALLOW IT
Living in SC, I have fire ants in my raised beds and containers. I have use both of what use mentioned. I have also used organic orange oil.
So, WHY are ants a problem in the garden? They're Nature's little garbage collectors – cleaning up debris, especially including other dead insects but also any spoiling fruit (in the broad sense). The aphids can be problematic, true – but the ants are just taking advantage of them. Maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem will keep the ants from becoming excessive, unless you're in one of those areas with the imported fire ants. In our garden, the birds keep all ant populations (including multiple species of carpenter ants) much suppressed, though they very much prefer larger prey such as the white cabbage butterfly caterpillars on our Brassicas. BTW, an alternate to the dilute detergent spray idea for aphids is isopropyl alcohol. It dissolves the outer wax layer before evaporating, and the aphids dessicate while you have zero detergent added to your plants or garden.
My ants like wood… wood chips, trees, lumber… etc.
The best ant killer is: boil 1 1/2 cups water, add 1/2 sugar and 1 1/2 TB boric acid ( 20 Mule Team). Soak cotton balls. Ants will be gone in a few hours or next day. Always works!!
Eucalyptus results were ehhhh