Ants taking over my blooms

jadye09 on 5/23/2010, 8:55 am

I know there are 9 other threads about ants but I couldn't a definitive one for me. I haven't had a problem with ants making nest or anything in my TT beds but have just been scavenging around. Now that I have all my plants blooming they seem to be very interested. The ants are mainly attracted to my cantaloupe blooms and squash blooms. This morning I found around 10-15 ants in each bloom and in some of my male squash flowers theY were going in a hole in the base. My plants don't seem phased by them so should I kill or let live?

Lavender Debs on 5/23/2010, 9:09 am

Mostly I don't care about ants unless they want to bite me. The thing about ants is that they "farm" aphids. On squash I wouldn't care on the new growth but on flowers aphids can make the fruit to come have a ratty shape. Maybe not a problem. On peas, aphids are the cause of enation in warmer weather (the hard bumps on sugar sweets).

I always figure that I need to tithe to creation but not let creatures take over what I am doing by the sweat of my brow (even if I am not sweating all that much).

I have good luck with cinnamon stopping ants. Others here say the ants walk right over it. It's worth a try if you want to encourage them to farm else ware.

jadye09 on 5/23/2010, 10:49 am

How much cinnamon did you use?

Lavender Debs on 5/23/2010, 11:01 am

I get a cheap jar from Costco or an outlet store and sprinkle around the box or plant. Smells good BUT It will blow away easily and washes away with running water (it seems to resist getting wet.) My dog likes to lay by the boxes while I work and he gets nice smelling brown spots on his white coat.

INSIDE my house, a few little piles in their path did the trick. OUTSIDE I put it around the bed BUT maybe I should have put it on their path. Would have used less cinnamon that way.

Best of luck AND don't forget, some have said that this did not work for them though it has been great for me. The other thing to remember is that the ants might be doing no harm at all.

Ants taking over my blooms

Ants taking over my blooms

Re: Ants taking over my blooms

Re: Ants taking over my blooms

Re: Ants taking over my blooms