How do you deal with ants?

Ooooo white vinegar, I likey! Gonna fill a spray bottle with that and see if I can sour the stem, totally forgot about that one! Ur a rockstar

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I’m not it, I’m not it. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Bummer to hear.

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Hey it’s all good! Glad I got a peek into how vigorous those genetics are, thing is gonna be a full on tree next year but most certainly a worthy candidate, u put some good stuff in a lot of ppls hands! That’s what a community is all about!

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This was posted by @PioneerValleyOG, thank you very much, on the rants thread below. Is that clear? I’m pretty fucked up.

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i think thats the og terro. they changed the formula to borax now. it works but not as well.
at least the new one is a little lighter in color

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I mix diatomaceous earth into my soil mix at the start of the season. This makes for an unfriendly environment for ants trying to colonize in the soil and will create an unfriendly soil surface as well.
D.E. is best mixed with water and surfacant and sprayed for an even coverage of the entire grow floor and anywhere the tunnels in the ground the ants are coming from.
I have 3 kinds of ants that I see in my greenhouse. As far as I can tell they are not preying on my plants but a certain kind is definately the type that wants to colonize in the soil. A good way to prevent this is to buy black plastic window screen material at the hardware store or RV supply. Usually it can be purchased off a bulk roll by the foot at most well stocked hardware stores. I cut it up into pieces that cover the bottom of the pot and high enough up the inside wall so when I fill it with soil the soil presses the screen flat against the side wall. This will stop insects from entering the drain holes of your pots. Works very well and I do this to all my outdoor growing containers.
I don’t really want to kill the ants in my greenhouse unless I see them trying to farm my plants with aphids… which so far I have seen no sign of.
So in my case I think the ants are possibly beneficial as they are definately hunting insects and will be eating thrips and mites and other bugs.
But Spraying the grow area with Sulphur and then diatomaceous earth, adding diatomaceous earth to the soil at the beginning and putting screen material in the bottoms of the containers are your 3 best approaches at the start of the season

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Ya I remember that darker stuff, that shit would wipe out a colony in a day! New shit the gel dries and hardens, I’ve got a couple indoor and went to go see if I can set it out in the corner somewhere but it’s hard as a rock

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Well I use fabric grow pots so maybe a protector on top. This is a new grow climate for me and didn’t know the ants were gonna be this savage out here so I’ll know for next year just pull everything out and sulfur the hell out of the floor. What a nightmare this year though, it’s like a battle of who is more persistent

Has anyone tried wrapping the stems with fly traps? Considering watching em all get stuck haha

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Awesome, i’m screen shot-ing this great info!

^ I love the wrap of yellow card fly trap idea. Pain in the ass but could work.

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Please be very careful, as i burned the crap outta some leaves when i mistakenly sprayed plants w pure vinegar. That shit’s acidic!

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Thanks for the heads up, will likely dilute and spray in the dark

It’s such a lovely greenhouse. Hope you’re able to remedy the ants soon. From J.C. Stitch’s Marijuana Garden Saver regarding prevention:

Moats. Ants don’t swim…
Make an herbal barrier. Ants are repulsed by cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves…a tea can be made from these to spray on plants to repulse pests.
Diatomaceous Earth
Sticky paper. It is an easy non-toxic solution to ants , which works well.

Same book under the section for control of ants:

Spices: Use a cinnamon-clove tea to flush ants from planting mediums. When the dry powder is placed on the soil the ants start vacating the premises. Other natural substances that are repulsive to ants include cayenne pepper, citric extracts, mint extracts, and cream of tartar.
Boric Acid baits: Ants are interested either in grease and oil or sugars. Most ants that bother plants are sugar lovers.
Pyrethrum
Insecticidal soap
Saccharopolyspora spinosa (beneficial bacteria)
Water

Not the full quotes and mostly touching on the methods and important aspects already being mentioned here. Much love

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I got cloves and cinnamon, imma try to make a tea with it, great suggestion! I’ll let u know how that one does

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Great ideas, try the peppermint.

I could be wrong but just note this chemical found in Mum flowers (i think) may be toxic to fish, cats and dogs.

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Did you try copper brillo around base

What’s the other spice they hate is it cinnamon? The hot pepper black pepper powder works, too. You could get extra juicy and put borax in some sugar water. Kill their brood.

I did not, that’s a thing?

I dunno if it was your or someone else in a dif thread. The sticky base in a can for tree stuff you brush on would keep em from climbing outside the stalk.

Tangle foot. I think that’s what it is. I have a can I keep around.

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Ants don’t like copper might be worth trying.

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