# Best way to kill fire ants around raised garden



## TxRENEGADE12 (Oct 16, 2013)

I have a raised vegetable garden bed that has an ant mound growing on the side of it. The ants are eating holes in my strawberries that I planted recently. What is the best solution for killing them quickly. Assuming that Amdro and the like would be bad near food.


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## bayrat00 (Oct 12, 2006)

Boiling Water


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## Comeback (Jul 30, 2010)

Look at this publication.

http://fireant.tamu.edu/files/2014/03/ENTO_015.pdf


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I use 2 tablespoons of orange oil to one gallon of water.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

^this. I use a mixture of Humate, Molasses, and orange oil.


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## Frontier2104 (Jul 16, 2012)

Defender
Fine white powder in a quart size can...has a strong pungent odor but will kill entire mound in 24 hours


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## scwine (Sep 7, 2006)

Borax mixed with sugar and water.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Rubberback said:


> I use 2 tablespoons of orange oil to one gallon of water.


Works so good.....!

No poision.....find it at lowes for the cheapest place.....

To the left of the bird seed...... Watch out its considered organic.....


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

It is organic & that is the reason I use it. I have quail & chickens roaming my property. I keep a gallon on my golf cart at all times. Good stuff.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Not familiar with "Defender" but from description sounds like might be Orthene in disguise. Definite no-no in food growing area.


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## Frontier2104 (Jul 16, 2012)

jm423 said:


> Not familiar with "Defender" but from description sounds like might be Orthene in disguise. Definite no-no in food growing area.


Sorry for suggestion, missed where the original question said "organic only"


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## Bob Keyes (Mar 16, 2011)

Diotomacious earth, they die of the twitching awfuls great fun to watch
There is also something to say about melted aluminum too.


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## TxRENEGADE12 (Oct 16, 2013)

Thanks for all the suggestions... ill try one and let y'all know how it works out


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## tinman (Apr 13, 2005)

*orange oil*

After reading this, I bought some orange oil at my local feed store (didn't have it at Lowes), I mixed it up like stated here (2 ozs orange oil to 1 gallon of water), first application, I poured about 3 cups of water mixture on several mounds, waited a couple of days and the ants were still alive and prosperous. So I tried pouring 1/2 gallon of it on a couple of mounds, and it might have thinned out the population just a little bit (not sure).
Next, I poured a whole gallon on a couple of mounds, and it looks like all I caused them to do is move the mound about 6 feet away. 
At $16.99 per bottle, I can't afford to keep on pouring the stuff on fire ants! 
Sorry Guys, it just didn't work for me, and I feel like I gave it a fair shot.
Tell me if I am doing something wrong.

Tinman


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

Dump the water from the next crawfish boil on em


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

tinman said:


> After reading this, I bought some orange oil at my local feed store (didn't have it at Lowes), I mixed it up like stated here (2 ozs orange oil to 1 gallon of water), first application, I poured about 3 cups of water mixture on several mounds, waited a couple of days and the ants were still alive and prosperous. So I tried pouring 1/2 gallon of it on a couple of mounds, and it might have thinned out the population just a little bit (not sure).
> Next, I poured a whole gallon on a couple of mounds, and it looks like all I caused them to do is move the mound about 6 feet away.
> At $16.99 per bottle, I can't afford to keep on pouring the stuff on fire ants!
> Sorry Guys, it just didn't work for me, and I feel like I gave it a fair shot.
> ...


I put 2 tablespoons to one gallon of water. shake it. Pour it over the entire mound & there dead. Been using it for a few years now. It is expensive but I have quail & chickens running around my shack. 
There's probably better stuff out there if you don't have animals around.
I notice they die immediately. I've never seen them move over & form another mound. I've seen new ants come & build another mound. I can't use poision here.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

They say to pour the whole gallon right down the middle of the mound so it goes deep.....don't use the shower head, do a direct pour....

When I have mounds pop up other places, it's from other ants, as if I go back to the dead mound I can numerous dead ants....

After a few years, of this and going organic, I found I use less and less.....when a mound now pops up (usually after rain) , nature balance's itself out....and the mound dies on its own.
I was told that becuase of all the microbs in the soil now; like natural nematodes, they feed on the baby ants in their early stages.....they also control fleas and other bad pest.

Are they gone?.... Nope!.....but I find I have very few issues, as I have restored the balance in the yard..... And by doing less....


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## slabmaster (Jul 28, 2012)

Dried molasses will move them


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## captnickm (Feb 16, 2011)

I used boiling water on a huge pile a while back. It worked great.... surprisingly well.

I brought my two biggest pots up to a boil and poured them on about a minute apart. 

Have not seen one in 2 months.


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