Ants on my blackcurrants

[Muriel]

i have just discovered some ants on one of my blackcurrant and I was wondering if they would do any damage to them. Also how can I get rid of them without harming my blackcurrant.

Many Thanks.

Muriel

[rustylady]

The ants themselves won't do any harm, but have a good look. I'll bet they're farming aphids (greenfly and/or blackfly) which suck the sap from your plants and also carry diseases.

[Muriel]

Thanks

I would like to say thanks to rustylady. I have checked my blackcurrant and I can't see any aphids on it.

So thanks for advice, I wouldn't have thought of checking if you had said.

Muriel

Please feel free to check out my new blog, there isn't much on it at the moment, but keep checking back as I will be adding more as time goes on.

Gardener

[roitelet]

I would spray them anyway Muriel, 'cos if there are ants then there will be aphids even if you can't see them. Soapy water usually does the trick but make sure that you spray the underside of the leaves and especially the tips of the shoots. The Aphid population can explode almost overnight!!!!!!

[Happydigger]

Ants tend to "farm" must aphids and scale insect, which I have found dificult to cure, but do not apear to harm the plant, however, as you have blackcurrants spray, and cut back when finished fruiting, burn prunings.