Ants ants and a few more ants

[Graeme]

My Mum recently had a problem with ants in her pot plants and she got some ant baits from Coles while doing her shopping. I can't remember the name of the product, but there were four baits in the box. They looked the same as cockroach baits we all know, except they were white plastic, not black and a little smaller. They are for inside use, so it says on the box, but I placed one out on her front verandah next to a trail. The ants swarmed to the bait (it has a very sweet scent) and the next day there wasn't an ant to be seen. I also put one out on her back patio for her with the same result. Apparently the ants take the bait back to the nest, where it wipes out the whole nest, queen included. The baits are still in situe, although she picks then up when doing her watering.

[bonsaiboy50]

Ants Ants Ants
I have major problems with ants nesting in my pots. Most of my trees are too big to soak so i have to resort to chemicals. Only thing that seems to work , not on a permanent basis as you will never get rid of ants in your yard, is use a Pyrethrum spray to kill the ones you can see on the tree and Hovex Ant Granuals around the pot. The ant granuals can also be used to sprinkle on the soil. I have tryed many things but this combination seems to be the best. Good luck

[doktee]

damn it must be ant season, I've been wondering the last two weeks why my chinese elm has been looking all wilted and frail, livens up after watering or a misting but then two days later wilted again. Then today while looking at it after watering and noticing the water practically ran straight out of the pot I noticed ants in the pot, going to go drown them tomorrow

[Josh]

My daughter came in tonight and asked, "dad, are ants supposed to be on our trees". I had notice a couple on the benches over the last couple of days but been to busy to do anything. Well my daughter filled the tubs and put the trees in the tubs to soak. She is 9 and got it all organised. Last time I had a problem I used the ant baits and simply put them under a margerine container that was upside down with holes cut in it for the ants to find their death. The weather isn't helping, been hot now raining so they are looking for somewhere high and dry to nest

Josh

[Phoenix238]

I don't mind them in my yard, but they keep eating my passionfruit vine (haven't even had a flower on it yet ) there's a bloke at work that says pouring a bit of diesel or old sump oil down the holes deters them, seems to work as well as anything, but its not the most environmentally friendly way to do it I'd rather hatch a few dozen preying mantis' and set them loose on the vine, but I can't find any egg sacs this year

[Josh]

Ants are on the number one in insect pests. This is a problem of every house. But in your scenario, i don't think that it would be considered as pest. Because mostly ants are in soil and i will not damage your plant or whatever you have grown in your garden. Ants are best recycler and helps in recycling the dead or waste things.

I posted this before but it disappeared I have had ants eat almost the entire root ball to make room for their nest so yes they are a pest. Untreated they will kill a tree. They also effect the way water is obsorbed into the soil. Not good at all so if you see them around investigate and get rid of them.

Josh

[wattynine]

I have had some good success with a product known as Zues, typically purchased from agricultural outlets (Farm HQ) as an example
offers three to ten year protection, it is a termite barrier that works on most insects
hope it helps

[Jason]

Ants are on the number one in insect pests. This is a problem of every house. But in your scenario, i don't think that it would be considered as pest. Because mostly ants are in soil and i will not damage your plant or whatever you have grown in your garden. Ants are best recycler and helps in recycling the dead or waste things.

From what I've been told, they can be good for your garden, but not for potted plants. The tunnels they dig allow the water to pass through without being absorbed much by the soil (if its bad enough).

Not to mention the farming of bloody mealybugs (and other pests). I ended up using whiteoil for that, and they haven't been back since I have noticed the ants harvesting something on our sunflowers though, they are all over the flowers, and no aphids or mealybugs to be seen

I'm using the general mortein ant baits at the moment, and have seen a decent reduction in the number of ants. They're still there, but not in plague proportions anymore

[gollum]

Ants will always be a problem for pots

lots of discussion here,but no-one has suggested MY SOLUTION .....

I have always used water to stop ants getting to my pots

ants don't swim

I use many different methods

the easiest one is a large square pot plant saucer placed on the ground
then a 200mm paver sits in that
then my bonsai shelving stand sits on that,one for each leg

no problems with any crawling bugs as long as you keep the saucer clean and full
thats easy because it lasts about a week but I water more often than that
also keep it clean to flush out mozzies

another method is 2 pot saucers
one is slightly smaller than the other
put it in upsidedown and fill with water
place bonsai on that,thus creating a water barrier

another method is saucers and flat rocks or tiles or broken bricks or pavers etc
also old take away containers are free and last a while
I use the black tray ones from fish and chip shops
just wash them or the dog will want to eat them

I have over 200 bonsai so i am always making different ones

just recently used a very large tray from masters only $6 600mm x 250mm (guessing)
placed pavers inside,52 cents each, takes lots of smaller pots or large

also used sandstone pavers broken against a besserblock to get the correct size

you could also use an old plastic cutting board
cut it to size and shape also


I would like to know if anyone else is doing this?
also any other variations?

[gollum]

thought I'd add that this has worked for me for at least 20 years
no chemicals needed
keeps humidity up in summer
some thirsty plants sneak a root into the water and get ideal watering for themselves

only downside can be mozzies
but I keep it flushed out or apply a squirt of pest oil when I'm using it
(which is often esp. this summer)

[Bradeen]

I am agree with you guys we are all faced different problems due to these ants.According to my point of view use of insect killer spray is the best solution of this problem.We should do that as soon as possible to remove these ants permanently. What is your thoughts about it share with us .

[Jason]

Anyone know any reason why ants would be infesting my soil?

Just the soil, nothing else. I've killed off the mealy bugs... for now, but the ants continue to plague me I thought they were only interested in the mealy bugs, but I think its worse

Just last weekend I bought some soil to do some repotting, I went to do it the next day... only to find the entire bag infested with ants! They'd got in through a tiny whole in the bottom of the otherwise unopened bag. So I went to get my older bag of soil... and same again, but even worse due to it being already opened for a while. I had a quick look at the last bag... and you guessed it, full of ants! Three different types of soil, from three different places

Thought repotting would be easy... the ants were only the begginning of my problems broken branch, incorrect pot, and repotted something too early... learnt some valuable lessons though lol

[rudy]

Look up you tube videos of ant control. Lot's of stuff there. I've tried the Borax, sugar and honey and works well.

Have a look, the information is there and it works.

Regards

[klaery]

diatomite should also deter ants (it kills pretty much everything). I use my left over fines to keep them out of my native bee hives.

[bonsaibeginer]

Hi people
Any suggestions for trees in colanders on the ground?
I used a spray a week ago and I thought that did the job but now when I went to rotate my trees I see that have built a little sand castle up the trunks of a few of my trees....