Ants In Yer Plants?

[Matheous-2]

What's the best solution for these interesting, but very annoying invaders?
I have them in most of my containers.....
Thanks, as usual in advance.

[woofgang]

Are the causing you a problem? I don't tend to do anything about black ants unless they invade the house. I can't use poisons freely in the garden because of the dogs, so if I get red ants, which sting and are nasty b"s then I empty the pot and spread the soil out over the ground. the birds get a feed and the surviving ants scatter.

[SlackAlice]

Lift your pots/containers off the ground using either pot feet or the circular metal stands. If they still get in the pots after using potfeet, stand the potfeet in water for a while.
The ants like the warm dry conditions and the easy access.

If they are already established in the pots you might have to replant or use an antkiller.

[jomifl]

They can cause problems by excavating the soil around the roots of the plants. They answer is to water very generously occasionally as flooding their galleries will make them leave and they don't like soil that is too moist.

[woofgang]

chickens to my dog would be like chicken to a hunting dog!

[Matheous-2]

Thanks guys....I will kick around the 'feet' idea - plus generous watering.
They are black ants. - I did have a brainwave a few weeks back by smearing the trunk of my fruit cherry tree with copper grease which they weren't too keen on. And now seem to have left that one to invade a Kilmarnock Willow!
Not really too crazy on the copper grease as it's actually an auto-lubricant....

[RAV1D]

The ants wont do damage to your plant but they will eat small insects that do damage your plants so you may find that once you remove the ants the plant will start to get damaged from other insects.

[jomifl]

Ravid, we had a house plant that became a bit poorly, on inspection ants had removed nearly all the soil leaving only a thin roof at the top of the pot.

[Matheous-2]

Jomifl- What the hec do they do with the soil?

[Chipchopper]

What I found that works well, is pre-loaded bait traps, they come in a plastic strip and you just break off one of the plastic traps as required.

[Matheous-2]

Chipchopper, thanks for that, but not sure now whether ants are beneficial or not.....