Ants nesting in containers

by Katherine
(Sonoma Calif)

I'm just cleaning out leaves, etc. from containers of perennials starting to emerge again, and I'm finding ants, as if there's a nest in them. Once you water the plant, hoards of them come out of the soil, how can I take care of the ant problem without using poison? If I have to I will, but I'd rather not, especially in the ground. Thank you for any suggestions.
Katherine

Comments for Ants nesting in containers

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May 29, 2011

ant massacre
by: driver dom

Dunk the whole pot in a big tub of water, deep enough to cover the soil surface in the pot. Leave it in for for half an hour.

Sometimes even this treatment doesn't work first time, in that case you will notice ants appearing again a day or two later.
If that happens, just re-dunk ! If any come back after three dunks, your ants are tougher than mine, so good luck.

May 29, 2011

Lavender to deter ants
by: Tony

Ants hate the smell of lavender. If you've got lavender growing, the stronger smelling the better, cut off small branches or break off leaves and scatter where the ants are, then watch them scatter!

May 30, 2011

Dunking and Lavendar
by: Katherine

Thank you for your comments responding to my problems with ants nesting in my plant containers.
I'll try both of those ideas.
Kat

Jun 25, 2014

My ants love lavender
by: Pat

My gorgeous lavendula stoechas has gradually been going downhill, eventually I had a probe around the soil around it and found it full of ants and woodlice. I have dug it out and dunked the whole thing in a bucket of water overnight (hope it doesn't drown), also put ant powder into the hole and soil it came out of. I think I will re-pot it into a large container and keep careful watch on it.

Aug 24, 2015

Adley
by: Anonymous

Thanks for sharing info with us. will utilize this trick

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