Ants have always been a major challenge to protect the gardens from. These do not cause much harm to the plants, but there mere presence can be quite irritating and frustrating also. No matter whether they are those small black ants or the big ones, they never look nice when they march around your beautifully planted rows of flowers. If you are finding it difficult to keep the ants away from your garden then here are some steps that can help you in doing so.

There are a number of eco-friendly sprays and solutions available in the markets that are effective on the ants in your garden. One of the best ways in which you can get rid of these ants is by dusting the area with baking soda. Baking soda serves as a poison for ants and you can see immediate results. However, because baking soda is in powder form it will get washed with the rains or when you water your garden. So, make sure that you use it after every rainfall so that the ants do not come back.

Another old age remedy is spraying the area with baby powder or flour. This works in the same way as baking soda. However, the theme behind this is that the ants would not cross the line of the baby powder or flour because it acts as a barrier. With these applications you also need to apply them after every rainfall or watering of the garden.

Other common remedies to keep the ants away include coffee grounds, cinnamon, chili, black pepper, cream of tartar, pepper mint, and the like. Turmeric is also considered to be an effective remedy. But, all these methods need to be done frequently, as they are temporary applications. You can try this method of pouring in small containers and placing these containers all over your garden. Ants will eat this mixture and die. To make this mixture better you can add some sugar to the borax to attract the ants.

Alternatively you can make your own ant spray at home by mixing three parts of vinegar with one part of water. Spray this solution along the border of your garden and this will keep the ants’ way because of the acidic nature of vinegar. Sprinkling cornmeal throughout the garden also keeps the ants away. The ants are unable to digest the cornmeal and when they consume it, they are sure to die.

Another great method that has helped many gardeners to keep ants away from their gardens is by planting marigolds all around the border of the garden. The marigolds bloom continuously and also do not require much care. So, you can plant them around and keep the ants away. If none of these works for your garden or are taking time for action, then you can lastly resort to spraying pesticides on your plants. There are many pesticides available in the market, look for the ones that are effective against ants. However, opting for natural methods is best when you have pets and kids in the house.

Jason Ladock

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