# Ant's In My Garden. Help?



## PiratesRun (Jun 23, 2004)

I have two raised beds for vegtable gardening and now fire ants have moved in. I am trying to garden as organically as possible and wonder what to use to get rid of the ants.


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## DEG (May 29, 2006)

The only organic way I have ever heard of is taking a shovel full of ants from 1 pile and put it in the other. Never tried that so I can't verify the results. I use orthene fire ant killer in my yard. That stuff skinks to high heaven but a couple of tablespoons on a mound has them dead in a matter of hours. I just poke some nail holes in the plastic seal and sprinkle it on. Hope that helps.


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## flatsfats (May 21, 2004)

squirt about 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap in the bottom of a five gallon bucket. fill bucket with water & drench the mounds. it smothers the ants.


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## NaClH2O (May 25, 2004)

If you don't want to use any chemicals, try diatomaceous earth.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

boil some chewing tobacco for 30 mins and make a solution out of it, aggrivate the ants and dump it on the mound

or buy a spray that contains a nicotinamide in the label

permethrins and pyrethrins are pretty harmless though, as well as sevin dust


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## Barnacle Bill (May 21, 2004)

flatsfats said:


> squirt about 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap in the bottom of a five gallon bucket. fill bucket with water & drench the mounds. it smothers the ants.


ditto... works every time...


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

I personally like to scoop them up with a shovel and place them into a fire!

Or pour gasoline on them and light them up like the 4th of July! I hate freakin ants!


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## tec (Jul 20, 2007)

I've heard boiling water will kill the mound. Can't get any more organic than water.


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## salth2o (Sep 21, 2004)

flatsfats said:


> squirt about 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap in the bottom of a five gallon bucket. fill bucket with water & drench the mounds. it smothers the ants.


But what does it do to your plants?


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## Walkhome (Aug 4, 2007)

You can also try plain dry grits. Worked for me last year, just put several packages on the mounds, and spread around a good area. But soapy water will not hurt your plants at all, either. Have used soapy water to kill other stuff before on my veggies.


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## flatsfats (May 21, 2004)

Soapy water won't hurt the plants at all. In fact I spray a solution of lemon dish soap & ammonia (basically liquid nitrogen) on my plants every so often. The soap cleans the leaves and allows them to absord the nitrogen. My tomatoes love it. You can also use it as a base to apply tobacco juice to kill leaf eaters and cut worms. Nicotine is a stomach poison for them.

Check out Jerry Baker's site. I've been quite impressed with his "tonics" and such.

http://www.jerrybaker.net/garden/homepage.aspx


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## seattleman1969 (Jul 17, 2008)

NaClH2O said:


> If you don't want to use any chemicals, try diatomaceous earth.


that works, so does the soap, then there is the SCORCHED EARTH POLICY


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## gator (May 22, 2004)

Apply dried molassis at 20 pounds per 1000 square feet and it will drive them away and also will fertilize you garden and really kick up the biology in the soil. You won't believe it when you see it.


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## captinharry (Dec 31, 2004)

*dry molassas*

where do you buy the dry molassasa ??
cost ??
thanks


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## Lancer00 (Feb 23, 2010)

I found this recipie at www.urbanharvest.org. It has worked well for me. I put it in a gallon jug and drench the whole mound. You can get orange oil at HEB or hardware/garden centers

*Orange Oil Recipe for Fire Ants*
6 oz. orange oil
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
a squeeze of liquid dish soap
Add to a gallon jug and fill with water.


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## sharplazer (Feb 25, 2010)

they are actually aeriating your soil in your beds. I use diotamceous earth as well. Get it at Pool Warehouse supply or Leslies pool supply house for the best price. A 25 lb sack is only 15 bucks and that lets you put it down heavy and often. Cuts them up like you rolling in glass. great for slugs as well and all soft bodied insects. Better than chemicals though


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