Gardener's Yards All About Gardening What comes to your mind whenever you notice a colony of ants on your raised garden bed? Very likely, your immediate reaction is getting frustrated.
As opposed to your negative perception of the presence of ants, they also bring some benefits.
Ants usually feed on sweet fruits and vegetables. This may encourage pollination since they move from one flower to another.
Another primary benefit of ants is that they are likely to kill pests in your plants, such as caterpillars.
Why Are Ants Frequent Visitors In a Raised Garden Bed?
Launching a raised garden bed might invite a colony of ants soon. In a short time, there will be many ants hanging around the raised garden bed.
The main reason behind this is that the soil condition in the raised garden is a bit dry. Dry soil is the best environment for the ants. The best solution to keep away ants from your raised garden bed is to watering it continually.
Moist soil will not be favorable for ants and will get them killed. Repel the ants from your raised garden bed by merely watering the bed to keep it moist.
However, if that fails, try any of these steps detailed below:
How To Get Rid Of Ants From Your Raised Garden Bed?
I can’t deny that many people find the ants very annoying. These tiny creatures will be your forerunners in tasting the fruits before you. Sometimes you may find the presence of anthills on your garden bed distorting the look of your garden.
You may choose from several methods to fight off ants from your garden bed. You may also opt to kill the ants naturally or through insecticides.
Here are some of the methods you can use to eliminate ants from your raised garden bed:
Try Ground Cinnamon
You don’t want to kill the ants, right? Sprinkling ground cinnamon along the garden bed or even on its surfaces will make the ants flee.
Ground Cinnamon is not that cheap but will make the ants on the move to an far away from your garden bed.
After ants flee, you can make a border using the ground cinnamon all-around your raised garden bed to avoid entry of ants.
Diatomaceous Earth
When you go for this method, the ants will be pricked by the crushed shells from dissolved diatoms. This condition will make the ants get dehydrated hence dying of thirst within two weeks.
Are you worried about your pets or even kids when using Diatomaceous Earth? There is no need to worry.
Diatomaceous Earth causes no harm to humans or even pets. The price of Diatomaceous Earth is also relatively affordable.
Combination of Cornmeal, Borax, and Honey
Are you looking for the cheapest alternative to get rid of ants? You may find this useful. This method is more likely to wipe away the entire colony!
Even the queen will be no more! Here is how it works:
Mixing cornmeal and borax (commonly found in toothpaste) poses a considerable risk to ants’ health when they ingest it or even pass over it.
Going an additional mile by adding honey to the mixture conceals the taste of borax and invites more ants. The honey will make the mix get carried to the ant Hill where the queen will also taste, hence killing all of them.
This mixture is friendly to your crops and humans. You should not get worried about your safety while using it.
Unfortunately, this method may take some time for you to notice its effect.
Try Value Full Nematodes
Opting for this method gives you a chance to completely repel moths, flies, and beetles that wander near your raised garden bed.
Do you doubt whether worms can win this?
The microscopic worms will enter the bodies of ants and other pests then excrete bacteria originating from their digestive system that will cause significant harm to the host within 24-48hours.
For this method to be effective, some conditions have to be met. The garden soil must achieve a temperature of 42 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 45 degrees more preferred.
Orange Guard
Ever heard of Orange Guard before?
Choosing this method will eliminate ants available if you can’t spot the colony. This is a spray liquid made from Orange peels.
Be assured that this product is environmentally friendly and will not damage your crops. Since it’s a product from a food grade, it’s EPA registered.
Many earlier buyers claim that it works relatively well and meets its description.
There was also a case where one previous buyer claimed that the product was not fit for cats. You should know before purchasing that it may impact your cats.
Planting Repellant Crops May Bare Ants From Wandering Near Your Raised Garden Bed.
Do you know of plants that will not let ants come near your raised garden bed? Several plants fight away ants from invading your garden or raised garden bed.
It is better to strategically plant this type of crop or at hotspots of ants in raised garden beds.
Boiling Water
Do you know that hot water is more likely to eliminate annoying ants near your raised garden bed?
This is the cheapest alternative available. It costs nothing! You only need to boil the water.
Upon choosing this method, you must be careful with the hot water. Don’t let the hot water burn reach your crops or your body.
Aspartame
You must be familiar with aspartame. The artifical sweetner you add to your tea and coffees. It is also found around many restaurant tables and hence is easily available to use. It is also an affordable choice to get rid of ants away from your garden bed.
Sprinkle some aspartame around the raised garden bed. This sweetener is toxic to ants and can cause them to malfunction. It works by overstimulating their brain cells which eventually causes them to die.
Cucumber Peels
Cucumber peels will make the ants flee the area and leave for an unknown destination. This method is also affordable.
Salts
Do you want to repel ants? Why can’t you try this method that only requires salt?
Salt will harm the ant’s body and eventually die. You can frequently use salt all around the garden bed to keep ants away.
Physically Destroy Mounds Belonging To Fire Ants
Have you ever been a victim to fire ants’ hostility?
If not, these ants always climb on Gardeners and, within a short time, deliver multiple painful stings. Nobody can love this kind of disruption of peace by the fire ants.
You need to mercilessly destroy their mounds and pour the hot water or other forms of insecticides to have them eliminated.
Conclusion
Though ants benefit gardeners, they also cause mayhem and quagmire situations by their painful stings.
There are multiple methods to get rid of ants. One should choose the preferred method and apply it.
