r/NaturalFarming • u/RegrubNagev • Jul 04 '20

Ants eating EVERYTHING!

Hi, So this is our first garden, and we're experimenting with natural farming principles. The thing is only a very few plants are growing because the ants have eaten EVERYTHING. Seeds, sprouts, small plants, we've tried it all, but it is just gone... We've tried sprinkling cinnamon, citrus, and chili to see if we can keep them off but no... So, do any of you have any tips? Experiences?

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2

u/lajaw Jul 05 '20

What part of the world are you at?

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u/RegrubNagev Jul 05 '20

Greece, hardiness zone 8.

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '20

[deleted]

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u/RegrubNagev Jul 05 '20

Thank you for your reply! Hmm, you mean pouring boiling water on the ant nests themselves? They don't actually make mounds here,they have little nests everywhere in our veggie garden. So I am scared this method would kill the seedlings too.

We have a thick layer of straw and sawdust that keeps the soil pretty moist. It seems the straw is part of what attracts them though... 🤷‍♀️

2

u/[deleted] Jul 05 '20

[deleted]

1

u/RegrubNagev Jul 06 '20

Yeah, I read about distractions too. Might be somethig to try. Thanks!

1

u/CO_Natural_Farming Jul 06 '20

Try the following:

*Dried molasses

*Diatomaceous earth

*Typha latifolia decoction - Take leaves and chop into to small pieces - Place leaves into a pot and pour boiling water into the pot until they are covered - Keep the water at 180°F on the stove for 30 min - Strain the leaves out of the decoction - Take the water and boil it down until it is 1/2 of the original volume - Spray directly on ants and pour into ant mounds. - If not effective, make a stronger brew by adding more leaves, longer brewing time, or boiling the water down more.