After having my garden weeded and planted at my new house, I find that
the garden has a multitude of tiny little any hills, and the tiny
little ants are making their way into my kitchen. I solved the
kitchen problem by putting a small line of Ajax at the window where
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

I know they're sentinent beings. Don't start.

Thanks!

On 23 May 2007 07:36:11 -0700, texas_gardener
wrote:

After having my garden weeded and planted at my new house, I find that
the garden has a multitude of tiny little any hills, and the tiny
little ants are making their way into my kitchen. I solved the
kitchen problem by putting a small line of Ajax at the window where
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

I know they're sentinent beings. Don't start.

Thanks!


If your soil is acidic, apply a dusting of agricultural lime
(powdered) over the ground. Ants hate chalk. Ants in the garden is
not a big concern, unless these are fire ants. They might even help
with pollination. For indoors I have used Terro syrup with success.

On 23 May 2007 07:36:11 -0700, texas_gardener wrote:
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

Unless you're dealing with fire ants or carpenter ants, you can pretty
much relax -- most ants have no interest in your gardens or your house,
other than as a freeway from here to there. I think we can rule out
carpenter ants from your description of "small":
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/FastSheets/Ent-1001.html
http://tcebookstore.org/pubinfo.cfm?pubid=572 (click on "read publication"--
it's free online.)
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/fastsheets.asp

Really good book about ants:
Holldobler and Wilson: The Ants. Springer. 1998.

Kay

On 23 May 2007 07:36:11 -0700, texas_gardener
wrote:

After having my garden weeded and planted at my new house, I find that
the garden has a multitude of tiny little any hills, and the tiny
little ants are making their way into my kitchen. I solved the
kitchen problem by putting a small line of Ajax at the window where
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

I know they're sentinent beings. Don't start.

Thanks!

In the vegetable garden they really pose no threat. Rinse off the
produce before bringing it in and they won't come in.

texas_gardener wrote:

After having my garden weeded and planted at my new house, I find that
the garden has a multitude of tiny little any hills, and the tiny
little ants are making their way into my kitchen. I solved the
kitchen problem by putting a small line of Ajax at the window where
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

I know they're sentinent beings. Don't start.

Thanks!


I suppose its POSSIBLE an infestation of aphids would be attractive to
ants. But I think the other respondents are correct - probably not a
problem in the typical/healthy garden.


Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

"texas_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
After having my garden weeded and planted at my new house, I find that
the garden has a multitude of tiny little any hills, and the tiny
little ants are making their way into my kitchen. I solved the
kitchen problem by putting a small line of Ajax at the window where
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

I know they're sentinent beings. Don't start.

Thanks!


Probably pavement ants or pharoah ants, both generically called "sugar
ants". Either case, not a problem. I share my garden with pharoah ants.

To control these, if out of hand, use boric acid around the house. Check
your pharmacy.
Dave

texas_gardener wrote:

After having my garden weeded and planted at my new house, I find that
the garden has a multitude of tiny little any hills, and the tiny
little ants are making their way into my kitchen. I solved the
kitchen problem by putting a small line of Ajax at the window where
they were coming in. But what should I do about the garden? I have
tomatoes and eggplant coming in (hopefully), not to mention all kinds
of flowers.

I know they're sentinent beings. Don't start.

Thanks!


The ants in your garden will be of no concern to your plants. And
chances are the ants that you are seeing in your kitchen are actually a
different type of ant than what you are seeing in the garden, just
similar in size and color. Any of the sugar baits placed in the cracks
where you think they are gaining access at should be enough to stop them.

Lar

On May 23, 10:20 am, Phisherman wrote:
Ants in the garden is not a big concern, unless these are fire ants. They might even help
with pollination.

Well this is good to know. They're not fire ants. I look at them
with much less concern now. We can mutually exist in peace now.

Thank you!