Ant problems

[Grimir]

Does anyone knows how to get rid of ants from blueberry bushes that i planted in my garden? There are lot of ants around bushes, and lately they are climbing my blueberry bushes. Is there any good biological method how to kill them or to drive them away from the bushes?

Cheers!

[rustylady]

It's not the ants that are the problem. Have a close look at your blueberry bushes - I bet you've got aphids on them. The ants farm aphids for the sweet stuff they secrete.

[Grimir]

Well i know that about aphids, i will check it tomorrow under the leaves. What is there are aphids? How do you treat them on blueberries? Is it possible that ants affect plant like roots or something?

[Two_Sheds]

What is there are aphids? How do you treat them on blueberries?

Just how you deal with them on anything else: squish them in your fingers, and keep doing that until they've come under control

Is it possible that ants affect plant like roots?

Ant nests can disrupt a plant's roots.
To get rid of ants, get rid of their food source (the aphids) and disturb/flood their nest, repeatedly. They'll go off and nest somewhere else, away from your blueberries (ants are generally useful in the garden).

You could use antkiller, but I prefer to be natural and organic: I have several concrete stepping stones around the garden which the ants like to nest under. Every so often I lift the stones and then flood the nest: if the eggs are big enough, I feed them to my goldfish

[greenjelly]

Keep disturbing their nest; keep on digging around your blueberry bushes, ants hate this as you disturb the eggs and the queen. Do it everyday as often as you can. Also water around your bushes to flood the nest, this also disturbs the eggs. Don't worry they'll soon move on after all would you live with constant earthquakes and flooding ?

If you have a friendly robin that follows you around wherever you're digging as I do you could encourage him to forage in the nest; he'll have a good feast and you'll be rid of the ants.

Greenjelly

[Grimir]

Thank you on advices, lately i noticed some small bird on the ground around bushes eating something on the floor. That must be ants but i will flood them also like u said.

[Moo's Mum]

When I was weeding my plot yesterday, I noticed ants have built a pretty big nest. As I've not planted anything on or near that bit yet I disturbed the nest and flooded the area with lots of boiling water. Quick inspection this morning and some of the little beggars are still there!! Any suggestions anyone? I have 2 puss cats too, so anything I use must be moggy friendly. Also will the ants harm the plants that I've got growing at the other end of the plot?
Thanks in advance

[David_richards]

I tried recently some 'ant dust' to get rid of them (it was inside), but the ants just seemed to use the dust to build up a bit of a nest, so I don't recommend that

[jono83]

paint a band of grease around the base of the plant, I do it every year the ants stick to the grease and can go no further. the aphids an easy way is to spray the plant with a very weak soapy water solution, or if you buy some NEEM OIL use this on all plants it contains 50 natural pesticides and you'll get no bugs on anything

[taff]

mm, they won't harm your plants, they farm aphids for sweet stuff. Keep flooding the area. Or dig it. They'll only go somewhere else though so you can either leave them where they are, give them a nice stone to nest under, then periodically lift it and leave the eggs for the birds, or keep an eye on your plants in case they start getting attacked by aphids.
If they do, do a search for chilli spray, you make it yourself...

[Mato]

The only suggestion I have if flooding didn't work the first time is to keep flooding. The more you flood, the more you're disrupting their home. I do not recommend using any types of sprays, unless you go for natural spray.

[Moo's Mum]

mm, they won't harm your plants, they farm aphids for sweet stuff. Keep flooding the area. Or dig it. They'll only go somewhere else though so you can either leave them where they are, give them a nice stone to nest under, then periodically lift it and leave the eggs for the birds, or keep an eye on your plants in case they start getting attacked by aphids.
If they do, do a search for chilli spray, you make it yourself...

I make a spray to keep the puddy cats off my house plants.....chilli/cayenne mixed in water and sprayed on the plants, Is this the same sort of thing?