Ants in my plot!

[crazii_c]

ive taken on a plot back in april. ive been digging the final bed over and ive discovered a huge ants nest in it. it covers about 1/4 of the bed! how do i get rid of them? i can remember when i was little, my grandad use to boil the kettle and pour it over the nests! im guessing its not a good idea to plant anything in this 1/4 of the bed as the ants will effect the plants wont they?

thanks in advance for the advice

[Shadylane]

It's a common problem and entirely up to you what you do about it but I wouldn't bother. You could dig about and expose any eggs which the birds should get rid of for you, but they don't really do that much harm. We have them all over our plot. They're annoying and hurt when they bite (I've heard it's only red uns that do this and generally when they get stuck down your glove or up your trouser leg) but they generally won't harm your veg other than aphid farming, but then you can always squish the aphids. There are some ways to get rid I believe which others will probably inform you of soon but if I were you I'd keep calm and carry on

[crazii_c]

oh thats a relief. i thought they would damage the roots of anything i planted, stunting the growth.

[Glutton4...]

Blimmin things - they make me itch just thinking about them. Ants like undisturbed soil, that's why you'll find them under paving, or in a bed that's not been dug over for a year - abandoned plots are ideal. My Folks have a real Ant problem under their patio. The best way to move them on, is to loosen the soil. I use a fork, and aerate the area. Do it a few days in a row, and they'll soon clear off.

[Sanjo]

I've just had to remove two ants nests from pots in the greenhouse. I don't know about not harming the plants but coincidently they were the two plants that weren't making progress like the others. I scooped out as many eggs as I could and laid them on the path and in no time the local birds found the "take away". The ants crawled all over my hands and arms and went barmy. Not a nice feeling at all (especially as I am known to be paranoid about ants in my house) and they DO bite.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't know about not harming the plants but coincidently they were the two plants that weren't making progress

If you have a whole nest under a plant in a pot, it will affect it, yes. But out in the garden they rarely do any damage, unless they happen to tunnel under/through the roots.

I have dry sandy soil, Ant Paradise, but they aren't a problem at all. The jaws of black ants are too weak to hurt you, although they will try and "bite" if you disturb them. Red ants sting, of course

[crazii_c]

i'll dig it over for a few days, just to make them move on. then i'll try planted some things there. cheers for the advice guys.

[THE_COW_IS_OK]

You can apply corn meal. Ants can't digest them properly and die starting with the queen.

[Glutton4...]

You can apply corn meal. Ants can't digest them properly and die starting with the queen.

Ooooh, I'd forgotten that - is that the substance that makes them explode?

[THE_COW_IS_OK]

Ooooh, I'd forgotten that - is that the substance that makes them explode?

I remember reading ants lack the enzymes needed to digest complex carbs and protein found in corn maize

[CaroltheCarrot]

You can apply corn meal. Ants can't digest them properly and die starting with the queen.

Oo, excellent I have loads of the b*ggers and cant use any powders and whatnot cos they are harmful to the bees.
I love this place, it answers my questions without me even having to ask them

[chris]

Ooooh, I'd forgotten that - is that the substance that makes them explode?

I think semolina causes them to explode..

Personally, I'd leave them. I've a bad ant (really bad) in my garden, it's annoying when you dig to plant out plants/what not and they swarm up your arms and stuff - but bar that they've not affected anything else. Besides, I've seen them carrying off earwigs and covering a slug with soil and grit (presumably attacking it to tire it out?) so in my books, they're ok

I've red and black ants all over my garden - in my lawn too.. bit of a pain if you want to lie on the grass mind!

[THE_COW_IS_OK]

I think semolina causes them to explode..

Personally, I'd leave them. I've a bad ant (really bad) in my garden, it's annoying when you dig to plant out plants/what not and they swarm up your arms and stuff - but bar that they've not affected anything else. Besides, I've seen them carrying off earwigs and covering a slug with soil and grit (presumably attacking it to tire it out?) so in my books, they're ok

I've red and black ants all over my garden - in my lawn too.. bit of a pain if you want to lie on the grass mind!

Sometime ago I saw ants attacking earthworms. Since then, I am a "no ant pls" person.