Natural pest control advice needed

[Stschil]

To all of Thr experienced gardeners out there in INGOLAND,
I have questions about natural pest control.

This year my Fiancé and I wanted to put in a good sized organic garden to help keep out food bills down and also to provide us with Fresh produce instead of Thr GMO stuff that sits on the grocer's shelves.
My plots are growing nicely, but I have been noticing that the local ant population has decided that I've just put up Section 8 housing and have moves in.

Is this something I should be worried about?

If it is, what can I do naturally to discourage these and other pests?

Ive started to transplant every toad I find in the yard to my raised beds,
hoping that will help.

We really want to grow all of our veggies chemical free, so the use of commercial pesticides is out of the question.

Thanks, in advance, for any help that you can provide.

Steve

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Diatomaceous earth spread liberally around the borders / plants?

 

[XtremeVel]

Diatomaceous earth spread liberally around the boarders / plants?

That ^^^^... I have heard it works for ants... I know first hand it works well for slugs and snails... Just make sure to buy if from a gardening shop and not from a pool supply... Some used in pool filter uses will contain unwanted chemicals...


Also, if you are going organic, check out " Gardens Alive". They are a Indiana company and good people.

Click here: Environmentally Responsible Gardening Products that Work – GardensAlive.com

 

[CombatVet]

I use Habenero diced up into a spray bottle with water in it. It works really well. Keeps rabbits out too. I put 2-3 Habeneros per 12 oz bottle. Also for ants specifically I like to use used coffee grounds spread liberally around the plants.

 

[snapping turtle]

Chewing tobacco in a spray bottle. Or I guess you could just chew it and spit it at the bugs.

 

[hooky]

You might also plant marigolds too. We sow some around tomato plants and around the garden in general.

 

[Jay]

Master gardener (my wife) says to mix a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part dish detergent, and spray liberally. This will usually deter new colonies.

For an established colony...

1) Gather some small plastic containers with lids. I will use either Philadelphia Cream Cheese or margarine containers that I have saved. Poke 4-5 holes spaced evenly around the outside each container about an inch from the top. These holes should be about the size of a pencil to allow the ants to enter the container easily. It would look something like this:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
...X...O....O....O....O..X
......X..................... X
........X.................X
..........X............X
...........XXXXXX

2) Buy a box of 20 Mule Team Borax. This can be found in the laundry detergent section of any large grocery store.

3) Mix the Borax with granulated sugar in a 1:3 ratio. I will prepare 1 cup of Borax with 3 cups of sugar for 6-8 traps.

4) Fill the plastic container about half full with the powder. You want the level to be about 1/2 an inch or so below the holes in the container.

5) Add enough water to make the mixture slightly soupy. The exact amount of water is not important. The mixture will become like syrup over time.

6) Add about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter to the mixture. Stir until well mixed. Place the lid on the container.

7) Set the traps in areas where you find ants. These can be used indoors, but I find it more effective outside the house. I put them near the kitchen window, near the doors, under the house, by trash cans, next to existing ant colonies, or even in the flower garden.

The bait works in two ways. First, it is toxic to ants that ingest it immediately. Second, most ants will naturally transport the bait back to the colony where other ants will ingest the bait and die. Most types of ants will respond to the bait. You will notice some dead ants in the vicinity of the bait within a couple of days. I find that within 2 weeks, it is difficult to find any ants around my home.

CAUTION: Borax is toxic. Do not place the traps in areas where animals (like the family pet) can accidentally open the lid and ingest the poison.

Natural Ant Killer

 

[Stschil]

This is awesome stuff! Thank you folks very much

Reps inbound when I can get to my pc. (for some reason, I can't rep from my iPhone)

 

[RichardR]

I use a tobacco tea

 

[Viking Queen]

Sprinkle cornmeal where the ants are. They eat it, take it back to the nest and can not digest it. So they die. Completely safe around kids, critters, wildlife, etc.
For the last three years, on the first week of July we have had a huge infestation of ants all over our patio. You go out one morning and it looks like a coffee grounds explosion all over the patio. They swarm the dog, running up her legs and swarm my feet, biting horribly. Off to get the cornmeal. Sprinkle it all over the patio, especially where you can see the tunnels in the dirt surrounding the patio. Use LOTS of it. Within about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs they will be all gone, with a few dead ones on the patio, most go into their nest. Next day or two there will be a few more, sprinkle more cornmeal. Voila, all ants gone until next year. If it rains, you need to re-apply more.

Works, really does!!

 

[GREEN607]

I can personally attest to the benefits of the dish detergent solution. You may need to do it again after a heavy rain.... due to dilution.

Also, away from the garden (10-12 feet or so).... place halves or quarters of apples. Ants love apples, and it will attract the ones in your garden, away from it.

 

[EvieDannevig]

I was searching for the same thing, I have a huge beautiful garden but all these pest are around there just ruined the whole looks. I was thinking to have some pest services but didn't know they are good or not for this condition. I don't want these pests around me anymore.

Termite Rescue​

 

[88GT]

That ^^^^... I have heard it works for ants... I know first hand it works well for slugs and snails... Just make sure to buy if from a gardening shop and not from a pool supply... Some used in pool filter uses will contain unwanted chemicals...

You want to look for FOOD GRADE. You can find some at TSC in the chicken supplies area. (Incidentally, you can use it on your chickens/coop/run area to keep down the flies, mites, and other insects that are known to bother chickens. Give your chickens a container of it for dust bathing, self-application at its best.)

Pepper spray
Neem oil (being an oil, it's also hydrophobic, meaning it doesn't mix well with water....it doesn't dilute as easily as other products)

That said, I have an ant colony in one of my raised beds. They have done no discernible damage to any of the crops I've had in there over the last 4 years.