Even if plant lovers know that ants are useful animals, they are uninvited guests in flower pots, boxes and tubs. With a little patience and one of the numerous home remedies, however, they can be easily driven away. Killing is not necessary.
Ants do not usually cause direct damage to the plant
Are ants damaging my potted plants?
In general, the ants do not damage the potted plants, they do not eat the roots. However, indirect damage is occasionally possible. Ants care for aphids like humans care for livestock. These lice colonies suck the plants dry and can cause significant damage. If ant nests are located directly on the roots, they disrupt the water supply to the affected plant, which can cause it to dry out.
How do I remove the ants from the potted plants?
There are some very simple home remedies for ants. Above all, they should drive away the uninvited guests and not kill them, because ants are very useful in the garden. Therefore, the use of chemical agents is not recommended. Also, don't use baking soda, even though it's often cited as a home remedy. The powder kills the ants through chemical burns.
If your container plant suffers from aphids, fighting them often drives away the ants at the same time. Additional funds are usually not necessary at all. Since ants do not like wet soil, thorough watering of the potted plants also helps. At the same time, the soil is washed back to the exposed roots by watering, which improves the nutrient supply of your container plant.
Expel not kill
Check your potted plants more closely in spring for an infestation with ants, then the animals will often create new nests. Intense scents then prevent settling right from the start. Whether you prefer to use ground coffee or the essential oils of herbs or spices is entirely up to your own taste. Lemon juice is also said to be able to drive away ants.
Simple home remedies for ants:
- Ground coffee
- Spices (laurel, cinnamon and cloves)
- Lime, alternatively garden chalk
- herbs (chervil, lavender)
- cucumber peels
- water (plentiful watering)
- lemon juice
tips
Although baking powder also helps against ants, it does not drive away the actually useful animals, but kills them in an agonizing manner.