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How to get rid of ants in outdoor plant pots?


Alpha1

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I have seen many times that the ants nest under the pots. If they the tiny sugar ants, a bait with borax and sugar water will kill the nest in about a week. If they are leaf cutter or red fire ants you have a more serious problem, which will require you to sleuth out where they are nesting and placing poison. In the meantime, many gardeners here use that clear, shiny packing tape, and make a three inch wrap around the pot. Those ants are not good climbers and they slip and fall off the tape.

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I go out after dark, usually two hours after dark. Grab a flashlight and follow the trail back to their nest. Usually a hole in the wall or hole in the ground.

Around the nest I spread “Patron Ultra” (no not the tequila). These are special pellets the ants love and the ants bring them into the nest and the ants die. This is the best method as spraying them just kills what you see and not the whole nest.

 

 

I get Patron at the garden store next to 7/11 in Riberas.

 

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16 minutes ago, Floradude said:

Leaf cutter ants do not live in our potted plants.  

No, but the question was not about leaf cutters. I am interested in knowing the answer to the question as I too have ants living in the pots. They eventually kill the plants living in the pots, at least that has been my experience.

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One of the responses was about leaf cutters which prompted Floradude's post.

I take the plant out of the pot and soak the root ball in a bucket of water to drown any ants... wash the pot free of ants and re pot the plant. It's not perfect but it usually works.

If the plant is in a saucer and you water the plant until the saucer is full on a regular basis, it is unlikely that the ants will take up residence in the pot. Therefore, underwatering of the potted plant may be responsible for the cozy home which they have created.

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