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Ants in pots
How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a
tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol |
"Pam Moore" wrote in message ... How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol What about one of those ant baits where they carry the poison back to the nest and it kills the queen (and thus the nest)? The 'chemicals' wont affect any other species, and wont affect the tree either. -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 18:11:55 +0100, "Tumbleweed"
wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote in message .. . How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol What about one of those ant baits where they carry the poison Isn't poison a chemical you prat? To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. No sense killing things just because you don't like them or there'd be a few missing on this group for sure. |
"Pam Moore" wrote in message ... How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol I don't think I *would* 'deal with' them unless they were actually causing some damage. |
"John" wrote in message ... On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 18:11:55 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote in message . .. How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol What about one of those ant baits where they carry the poison Isn't poison a chemical you prat? So is water. Bob |
"John" wrote in message ... On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 18:11:55 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote in message . .. How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol What about one of those ant baits where they carry the poison Isn't poison a chemical you prat? You have such a persuasive way with words, you silver tounged devil. I think you'll find, that except for the plasma forming the sun, everything in the solar system is a chemical. The lady wishes to kill the ants. Unless she indiscriminately sprays the neighbourhood with insecticide, how she does it, to a non food plant, will make no difference at all. If she crushes them with her fingers, they are also made of chemicals. To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. I think you'll find that clove oil is composed of many many chemicals. So thats worse than the single chemical I suggested.......you prat :-) And when you use the euphemism 'drive them away' do you think they will be packing their teeny tiny suitcases and moving? I doubt it somehow. FWIW garlic is also composed of chemicals as well, but gets rid of vampires, not ants*. I suppose you were too busy firebombing Huntingdon Research to pay attention in class or watch Buffy? No sense killing things just because you don't like them or there'd be a few missing on this group for sure. LOL. So you *do* think the ants will be packing their teeny tiny suitcases and moving? AH, bless. -- Tumbleweed *ants=small, vampires = bigger with fangs email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
In article ,
Tumbleweed wrote: I think you'll find, that except for the plasma forming the sun, everything in the solar system is a chemical. ... No, no, not at all. Something that has been missed by modern science is that there is a complete alternate system of matter, based on the elementary particles called stupidity, ignorance, dogmatism, intolerance and abusiveness. This accounts for the missing matter, commonly called 'dark' matter. Recently, an alternate solar system passed through ours, and some of the inhabitants of the other one, called trolls and made up of those elementary particles, got stuck in ours. Their reasons for disliking anything made up of chemicals should be obvious. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Bob Smith (UK) wrote:
"John" wrote in message [...] Isn't poison a chemical So is water. Actually, this is more interesting than it may seem. In strict English usage, it isn't: the meaning of the word depends on the context in which it is used, and water isn't here considered as the product of chemistry. In another context, of course, water _is_ considered from a chemical point of view; but this isn't that context. In gardening, an almost infinite variety of solutions is accurately referred to as "water": not many laboratories would be happy with such vernacular imprecision! I haven't tried, but if you doubt me you could Ggl "horticultural chemicals" and see how many of the suppliers you find would accept an order for a tonne of water. I'll buy the beer if you find one. (I exclude de-ionised water and the like!) -- Mike. |
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , Tumbleweed wrote: I think you'll find, that except for the plasma forming the sun, everything in the solar system is a chemical. ... No, no, not at all. Something that has been missed by modern science is that there is a complete alternate system of matter, based on the elementary particles called stupidity, ignorance, dogmatism, intolerance and abusiveness. This accounts for the missing matter, commonly called 'dark' matter. Recently, an alternate solar system passed through ours, and some of the inhabitants of the other one, called trolls and made up of those elementary particles, got stuck in ours. Their reasons for disliking anything made up of chemicals should be obvious. Nick, you don't know how grateful I am! I've been worrying for years about who or what they were! And your lucid exegesis provides the answer to my final riddle, which was why on earth one never actually _met_ one in real life: with our chemically-specialised senses, we can't even _see_ them. You've made an...er...a middle-aged man very happy. -- Mike. |
Tumbleweed wrote:
:: "John" wrote in message :: ... ::: On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 18:11:55 +0100, "Tumbleweed" ::: wrote: ::: :::: :::: "Pam Moore" wrote in message :::: ... ::::: How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a ::::: tree? ::::: My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of ::::: water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, ::::: and pour the water off when they came to the surface. ::::: A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! ::::: She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot ::::: is too heavy to lift. ::::: She does not like using chemicals. ::::: Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. ::::: ::::: My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the ::::: roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do ::::: that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. ::::: TIA ::::: ::::: Pam in Bristol :::: :::: What about one of those ant baits where they carry the poison ::: ::: Isn't poison a chemical you prat? :: :: You have such a persuasive way with words, you silver tounged devil. :: :: I think you'll find, that except for the plasma forming the sun, :: everything in the solar system is a chemical. The lady wishes to kill :: the ants. Unless she indiscriminately sprays the neighbourhood with :: insecticide, how she does it, to a non food plant, will make no :: difference at all. If she crushes them with her fingers, they are also :: made of chemicals. :: ::: To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away ::: and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. :: :: I think you'll find that clove oil is composed of many many chemicals. So :: thats worse than the single chemical I suggested.......you prat :-) :: :: And when you use the euphemism 'drive them away' do you think they will :: be packing their teeny tiny suitcases and moving? I doubt it somehow. :: FWIW garlic is also composed of chemicals as well, but gets rid of :: vampires, not ants*. I suppose you were too busy firebombing Huntingdon :: Research to pay attention in class or watch Buffy? :: ::: ::: No sense killing things just because you don't like them or there'd be ::: a few missing on this group for sure. ::: :: :: LOL. So you *do* think the ants will be packing their teeny tiny :: suitcases and moving? AH, bless. Maybe they can all get jobs advertising the Post Office on TV? :-p I was going to suggest writing on one of those plant labels that sticks into the soil, 'No Ants' and see how it goes. -- If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs. |
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... Something that has been missed by modern science is that there is a complete alternate system of matter, based on the elementary particles called stupidity, ignorance, dogmatism, intolerance and abusiveness. This accounts for the missing matter, commonly called 'dark' matter. I thought 'dark matter' was rich compost. |
The message
from "Tumbleweed" contains these words: LOL. So you *do* think the ants will be packing their teeny tiny suitcases and moving? AH, bless. Just as a matter of interest, perhaps the Ant-agonist could tell us what ants pack in their teeny tiny suitcases..I've always wanted to know. Janet |
On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:58:04 +0100, "pammyT" fenlandfowl
@talktalk.net wrote: I don't think I *would* 'deal with' them unless they were actually causing some damage. Thanks Pammy T. The trouble witha ants in pots is that they remove the soil from round the roots and the plat may eventually die. I was hoping for a few more helpful suggestions but see the thread's gone off on a tangent! I'm sure you knew what I meant by no chemicals! I'm still hoping someone may have another idea of what to do without resorting to HARMFUL chemicals! Pam in Bristol |
On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 21:14:30 +0100, "Tumbleweed"
wrote: To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. Oil of cloves; isn't that what used to be recommended for toothache? Can you guarantee that it will also drive off ants? In solution I assume? Garlic how? crushed? planted? Thanks anyway! Pam in Bristol |
Pam Moore wrote:
On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 21:14:30 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. Oil of cloves; isn't that what used to be recommended for toothache? Can you guarantee that it will also drive off ants? In solution I assume? Garlic how? crushed? planted? Thanks anyway! Haven't heard of oil of cloves for this purpose, but it's certainly worth trying if you don't want to use the products of the chemical industry. Till we hear back from Tumbleweed, though, my guess is that it wouldn't drive out a colony that was already established: like bees, they can't take a laying queen anywhere, as far as I know. If I thought the colony really was causing a problem (but they don't usually: they won't hurt the plants), I probably would use Nippon. If that's too chemical for you, I'm afraid you really will have to help your friend tip over the pot and destroy the nest -- boiling water usually does the trick. Spread out a plastic sheet, and tip the whole thing over; then wiggle the plant out: it should be quite easy between the two of you. A bit of boiling water on the very tips of the roots shouldn't do any harm. You need to do this now, before they send out drones and unmated queens (if it hasn't happened already -- it's quite a beautiful sight, really. In some parts of Africa, they're big enough to eat: when a colony starts sending out flying ants, you make a fire at the entrance and grab them as the heat burns off their wings. A bit like shrimps.). But...a willow in a pot? It's not my garden, but, for goodness' sake, _why_? Such a vigorous grower is probably due for soil-replacement anyhow, and it hardly matters how much you abuse it: they're tough. This is one of those crises for which the Chinese character, they tell us, is the same as the one for "opportunity". Opportunity either to replace the soil, or to plant something else. -- Mike. |
On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 00:23:24 +0100, "Mike Lyle" wrote:
Pam Moore wrote: On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 21:14:30 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. Oil of cloves; isn't that what used to be recommended for toothache? Can you guarantee that it will also drive off ants? In solution I assume? Garlic how? crushed? planted? Thanks anyway! Haven't heard of oil of cloves for this purpose, but it's certainly worth trying if you don't want to use the products of the chemical industry. Till we hear back from Tumbleweed, though, my guess is that it wouldn't drive out a colony that was already established: like bees, they can't take a laying queen anywhere, as far as I know. If I thought the colony really was causing a problem (but they don't usually: they won't hurt the plants), I probably would use Nippon. If that's too chemical for you, I'm afraid you really will have to help your friend tip over the pot and destroy the nest -- boiling water usually does the trick. Spread out a plastic sheet, and tip the whole thing over; then wiggle the plant out: it should be quite easy between the two of you. A bit of boiling water on the very tips of the roots shouldn't do any harm. You need to do this now, before they send out drones and unmated queens (if it hasn't happened already -- it's quite a beautiful sight, really. In some parts of Africa, they're big enough to eat: when a colony starts sending out flying ants, you make a fire at the entrance and grab them as the heat burns off their wings. A bit like shrimps.). But...a willow in a pot? It's not my garden, but, for goodness' sake, _why_? Such a vigorous grower is probably due for soil-replacement anyhow, and it hardly matters how much you abuse it: they're tough. This is one of those crises for which the Chinese character, they tell us, is the same as the one for "opportunity". Opportunity either to replace the soil, or to plant something else. Beware, Oil of Cloves mixed with water will kill off vegetation if the concentration is too strong. I discovered this by accident on the lawn about two months ago. There is still a dead patch in which nothing will grow. It does work on ants, but I don't know the correct ratios. Rick |
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message ... Pam Moore wrote: On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 21:14:30 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. Oil of cloves; isn't that what used to be recommended for toothache? Can you guarantee that it will also drive off ants? In solution I assume? Garlic how? crushed? planted? Thanks anyway! Haven't heard of oil of cloves for this purpose, but it's certainly worth trying if you don't want to use the products of the chemical industry. Till we hear back from Tumbleweed, though, my guess is that it wouldn't drive out a colony that was already established: like bees, they can't take a laying queen anywhere, as far as I know. LOL. That wasnt me, that was the person who thinks that oil of cloves contains no chemicals and that ants move around like people on 'Location Location Location'. Perhaps the lady who doesnt like chemicals could try spraying with a mixture of boiled up tobacco leaves, chrysanthemums, castor oil beans, Conium maculatum, berries from Atropa belladonna, derris plants and Taxus baccata. As these are natural, they obviously contain no chemicals and are therefore completely safe, just spray them liberally around. -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 21:14:30 +0100, "Tumbleweed"
wrote: "John" wrote in message .. . On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 18:11:55 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote in message ... How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol What about one of those ant baits where they carry the poison Isn't poison a chemical you prat? You have such a persuasive way with words, you silver tounged devil. Pro hunt arseholes bring the best out in people. I think you'll find, that except for the plasma forming the sun, everything in the solar system is a chemical. The lady wishes to kill the ants. Unless she indiscriminately sprays the neighbourhood with insecticide, how she does it, to a non food plant, will make no difference at all. If she crushes them with her fingers, they are also made of chemicals. Yawn. To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. I think you'll find that clove oil is composed of many many chemicals. So thats worse than the single chemical I suggested.......you prat :-) Tosser. And when you use the euphemism 'drive them away' do you think they will be packing their teeny tiny suitcases and moving? I doubt it somehow. FWIW garlic is also composed of chemicals as well, but gets rid of vampires, not ants*. I suppose you were too busy firebombing Huntingdon Research to pay attention in class or watch Buffy? Dear me haven't upset pro hunt nut have I? No sense killing things just because you don't like them or there'd be a few missing on this group for sure. LOL. So you *do* think the ants will be packing their teeny tiny suitcases and moving? AH, bless. For most of us ants, slugs, snails etc are really not a problem in our gardens, we happily live side by side with nature. It's only arseholes like you that appear to have trouble living with anything including yourselves. |
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On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 22:47:48 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote: On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 21:14:30 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: To the original poster use clove oil, that'll drive the buggers away and keep them out, also garlic sometimes. Oil of cloves; isn't that what used to be recommended for toothache? Can you guarantee that it will also drive off ants? In solution I assume? A sure fire way to get rid of them is mix a small bottle of clove oil from the chemists in a large watering can with a rose sprinkler. Spray the area and watch them go. This also works for other creatures when applied in a little spray pump. Garlic how? crushed? planted? Whatever works. cloves, powder etc also works for others. Thanks anyway! Was a good question, just hate to see the losers getting such good airplay. |
Tumbleweed wrote:
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message [...] Haven't heard of oil of cloves for this purpose, but it's certainly worth trying if you don't want to use the products of the chemical industry. Till we hear back from Tumbleweed, though, [...] LOL. That wasnt me, that was the person who thinks that oil of cloves contains no chemicals and that ants move around like people on 'Location Location Location'. [...] Sorry: careless reading on my part, perhaps abetted by careless snippage by somebody else. (It occurs to me that oil of cloves must be terribly expensive.) -- Mike. |
On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 00:23:24 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote: But...a willow in a pot? It's not my garden, but, for goodness' sake, _why_? Such a vigorous grower is probably due for soil-replacement anyhow, and it hardly matters how much you abuse it: they're tough. Not in my garden either! She said she bought it at an NGS open garden and was told it would grow to a large bush! It looks like a common riverside tree to me and I think the ants will be doing her a favour, but SHE likes it! As for re-potting it, she will have to get her so-called gardener to help her! Thanks all for your advice. Pam in Bristol |
"Jim" wrote in message
... On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 22:37:12 GMT, Pam Moore wrote: On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:58:04 +0100, "pammyT" fenlandfowl wrote: I'm still hoping someone may have another idea of what to do without resorting to HARMFUL chemicals! 'HARMFUL' to what? You can get chemicals which are harmful to ants but nothing else such as Nippon, or you could use chemicals that are harmful to nothing ...but what would the point of that be? -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
"Pam Moore" wrote in message ... On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:58:04 +0100, "pammyT" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net wrote: I don't think I *would* 'deal with' them unless they were actually causing some damage. Thanks Pammy T. The trouble witha ants in pots is that they remove the soil from round the roots and the plat may eventually die. I was hoping for a few more helpful suggestions but see the thread's gone off on a tangent! I'm sure you knew what I meant by no chemicals! I'm still hoping someone may have another idea of what to do without resorting to HARMFUL chemicals! Well you could try diatomaceous earth or pyrethrum powder. Both totally natural and they both work one mites and lice in my poultry houses. Try some of the poultry supplies ppl for either of those products. |
pammyT wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote in message ... On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:58:04 +0100, "pammyT" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net wrote: I don't think I *would* 'deal with' them unless they were actually causing some damage. Thanks Pammy T. The trouble witha ants in pots is that they remove the soil from round the roots and the plat may eventually die. I was hoping for a few more helpful suggestions but see the thread's gone off on a tangent! I'm sure you knew what I meant by no chemicals! I'm still hoping someone may have another idea of what to do without resorting to HARMFUL chemicals! Well you could try diatomaceous earth or pyrethrum powder. Both totally natural and they both work one mites and lice in my poultry houses. Try some of the poultry supplies ppl for either of those products. Nippon liquid really is safe, you know. It's based on borax, which you can use to treat mouth ulcers. Nippon's been around for many decades with no known ill effects on mammals or, in these trifling quantities, the environment. It's one of the best-known preparations, not some new wizzo thing introduced by an agrichemical company only to be withdrawn twenty years later when they found out what it did. As far as I remember, it doesn't even hurt bees (but my memory is long out of warranty). I don't see how you're going to get pyrethrum powder into the nest without tipping out the tree, which you said wasn't a realistic option. So use Nippon without a qualm. -- Mike. |
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message ... pammyT wrote: "Pam Moore" wrote in message ... On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 19:58:04 +0100, "pammyT" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net wrote: I don't think I *would* 'deal with' them unless they were actually causing some damage. Thanks Pammy T. The trouble witha ants in pots is that they remove the soil from round the roots and the plat may eventually die. I was hoping for a few more helpful suggestions but see the thread's gone off on a tangent! I'm sure you knew what I meant by no chemicals! I'm still hoping someone may have another idea of what to do without resorting to HARMFUL chemicals! Well you could try diatomaceous earth or pyrethrum powder. Both totally natural and they both work one mites and lice in my poultry houses. Try some of the poultry supplies ppl for either of those products. Nippon liquid really is safe, you know. It's based on borax, which you can use to treat mouth ulcers. Nippon's been around for many decades with no known ill effects on mammals or, in these trifling quantities, the environment. It's one of the best-known preparations, not some new wizzo thing introduced by an agrichemical company only to be withdrawn twenty years later when they found out what it did. As far as I remember, it doesn't even hurt bees (but my memory is long out of warranty). I don't see how you're going to get pyrethrum powder into the nest without tipping out the tree, which you said wasn't a realistic option. So use Nippon without a qualm. -- Mike. Isn't it interesting when people use the word 'natural' to imply something is safe? "...or pyrethrum powder. Both totally natural " Pyrethrum is in fact slightly poisonous, certainly much more so than, Nippon, especially as the nippon will be within a small container accessible only to ants and the Pyrethrum spread around liberally.......but never mind, its natural :-) Fancy a glass of hemlock, OP? -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
Tumbleweed wrote:
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message [...] Nippon liquid really is safe, you know. It's based on borax, which you can use to treat mouth ulcers. Nippon's been around for many decades with no known ill effects on mammals or, in these trifling quantities, the environment. It's one of the best-known preparations, not some new wizzo thing introduced by an agrichemical company only to be withdrawn twenty years later when they found out what it did. As far as I remember, it doesn't even hurt bees (but my memory is long out of warranty). I don't see how you're going to get pyrethrum powder into the nest without tipping out the tree, which you said wasn't a realistic option. So use Nippon without a qualm. -- Mike. Isn't it interesting when people use the word 'natural' to imply something is safe? "...or pyrethrum powder. Both totally natural " Pyrethrum is in fact slightly poisonous, certainly much more so than, Nippon, especially as the nippon will be within a small container accessible only to ants and the Pyrethrum spread around liberally.......but never mind, its natural :-) Fancy a glass of hemlock, OP? I understand. But what I also understand is that we and other life-forms have evolved in the presence of a lot of natural poisons, and a lot of benign naturally-occurring substances which can become harmful in certain circumstances. Our data on the effects and behaviour of most of these is much longer-term than any we can possibly have on the effects of synthetic compounds: hence the very conservative approach many of us choose to take. -- Mike. |
On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 19:52:02 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: 'HARMFUL' to what? You can get chemicals which are harmful to ants but nothing else such as Nippon, or you could use chemicals that are harmful to nothing ...but what would the point of that be? In the sense that Nippon is more harmful than water to most things! You knew what I meant. Don't be so pedantic! I only asked a question and look where it got. Pam in Bristol |
On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 22:15:12 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote: Nippon liquid really is safe, you know. It's based on borax, which you can use to treat mouth ulcers. Nippon's been around for many decades with no known ill effects on mammals or, in these trifling quantities, the environment. It's one of the best-known preparations, not some new wizzo thing introduced by an agrichemical company only to be withdrawn twenty years later when they found out what it did. As far as I remember, it doesn't even hurt bees (but my memory is long out of warranty). I don't see how you're going to get pyrethrum powder into the nest without tipping out the tree, which you said wasn't a realistic option. So use Nippon without a qualm. Thanks Mike. I also would use Nippon without a qualm, but you don't know my friend! I have told her I think that I think she should cut off a few branches and root them in a new pot and somehow scrap the tree, soil, ants and all. Pam in Bristol |
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message ... Tumbleweed wrote: "Mike Lyle" wrote in message [...] Nippon liquid really is safe, you know. It's based on borax, which you can use to treat mouth ulcers. Nippon's been around for many decades with no known ill effects on mammals or, in these trifling quantities, the environment. It's one of the best-known preparations, not some new wizzo thing introduced by an agrichemical company only to be withdrawn twenty years later when they found out what it did. As far as I remember, it doesn't even hurt bees (but my memory is long out of warranty). I don't see how you're going to get pyrethrum powder into the nest without tipping out the tree, which you said wasn't a realistic option. So use Nippon without a qualm. -- Mike. Isn't it interesting when people use the word 'natural' to imply something is safe? "...or pyrethrum powder. Both totally natural " Pyrethrum is in fact slightly poisonous, certainly much more so than, Nippon, especially as the nippon will be within a small container accessible only to ants and the Pyrethrum spread around liberally.......but never mind, its natural :-) Fancy a glass of hemlock, OP? I understand. But what I also understand is that we and other life-forms have evolved in the presence of a lot of natural poisons, and a lot of benign naturally-occurring substances which can become harmful in certain circumstances. Our data on the effects and behaviour of most of these is much longer-term than any we can possibly have on the effects of synthetic compounds: hence the very conservative approach many of us choose to take. -- Mike. Agreed, its just the unthinking (not targetting you here) use of the word natural to equate with safe that I was talking about. Also, evolutionary speaking, we havent evolved in the presence of most of the natural poisons we ingest, since they are very new to our diet. There is very little data on the long term effects of natural poisons, especially those that form a part of our diet. Most of our foodstuffs are, evolutionary speaking, brand new, and so we havent really developed a tolerance for them yet but the effects may still be significant but low enough no one would ever notice withour large scale studies. Some food items we routinely eat are significantly more toxic than most man-made pesticides (simply because rigorous testing has eliminated the latter). Amongst those are lettuce and coffee. Really this should be unsurprising, because many chemicals in plants have evolved to be specifically toxic to either insects or mammals. Yet you'll find people drinking coffee and smoking*, campaigning about the minute and largely theoretical effect that a man-made pesticide might have. Oliver Goldsmith, who edits 'The Ecologist', would be a good case in point. -- Tumbleweed *plus the huge effect on the environment caused by growing tobacco email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
"Pam Moore" wrote in message ... On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 19:52:02 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote: 'HARMFUL' to what? You can get chemicals which are harmful to ants but nothing else such as Nippon, or you could use chemicals that are harmful to nothing ...but what would the point of that be? In the sense that Nippon is more harmful than water to most things! You knew what I meant. Don't be so pedantic! Pam I didnt know what you meant. Did you mean a chemical that is harmful to ants and nothing else? Because you did shy away from such a chemical. I only asked a question and look where it got. Pam in Bristol thats usenet for you :-) -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
"Pam Moore" wrote in message ... snip Thanks Mike. I also would use Nippon without a qualm, but you don't know my friend! I have told her I think that I think she should cut off a few branches and root them in a new pot and somehow scrap the tree, soil, ants and all. Pam in Bristol No point Pam. More ants will colonise the new set up, that why they are there now, because the environment of the pot is suited to them. They are in pretty much all my large pots including one with a small maple in in. Once ina while I use 'harmless' water to flood them out or minimise their presence if they seem too prevalent, you do need to make sure the pot has good drainage though since you dont want the roots sitting in water indefinitely. If its possible to completely fill the pot with water for quite a few hours by temporarily blocking the drainage holes that might also work (drowning them, so much for harmless water :-)..but eventually a new queen ant will arrive and a new colony will arise. -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
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Tumbleweed wrote:
[...] you'll find people drinking coffee and smoking*, campaigning about the minute and largely theoretical effect that a man-made pesticide might have. Oliver Goldsmith, who edits 'The Ecologist', would be a good case in point. The one about smoking has always tickled me, I must admit! But as an Australian of a certain age, my world view is coloured with Agent Orange (no, I wasn't exposed -- I was lucky enough to miss 'Nam). -- Mike. |
"Tumbleweed" wrote in message ... Agreed, its just the unthinking (not targetting you here) use of the word natural to equate with safe Well *you* werte the one who thought 'natural' meant 'safe. Natural means derived from nature and that is entirely the context in which I used it as the OP said she didn't want to use 'chemicals' by which *I* assumed she meant artificial manufactured poisons. Diatomaceous earth is natural and none toxic and safe as long as you don't breath it in. |
In article , "pammyT" fenlandfowl @talktalk.net writes: | "Tumbleweed" wrote in message | ... | | Agreed, its just the unthinking (not targetting you here) use of the word | natural to equate with safe Well *you* werte the one who thought | 'natural' meant 'safe. | | Natural means derived from nature and that is entirely the context in which | I used it as the OP said she didn't want to use 'chemicals' by which *I* | assumed she meant artificial manufactured poisons. Everything is derived from nature, more or less indirectly. And it is foolishness to distinguish the same substance based on its origin, as far as this aspect is concerned. For example, sulphur is a naturally occurring chemical, but most sulphur that you buy has been made from sulphate-containing ores. | Diatomaceous earth is natural and none toxic and safe as long as you don't | breath it in. If I recall, it is about as carcinogenic as white asbestos, but there hasn't been a hysterical reaction against it yet. Even blue asbestos is natural and non-toxic. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:10:58 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote: How would YOU deal with ants which have nested in a pot containing a tree? My solution in the past was to stand the pot in a large bucket of water, so the pot was completely submerged, and drive out the ants, and pour the water off when they came to the surface. A friend has ants in a huge pot containing a fast growing willow! She has nothing big enough to submerge the pot in, and anyway the pot is too heavy to lift. She does not like using chemicals. Any advice for my friend please? Nothing strenuous as she has ME. My only other solution in the past was to unpot the tree, wash the roots clean, and repot in fresh soil, but she would need help to do that and it's a bit drastic this time of year. TIA Pam in Bristol My recipe FWIW: 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon borax hot water to make a thin syrup (probably about a tablespoon) stir until all dissolved Place in a small pot-saucer or shallow dish near the ants nest, and cover with an earthenware flowerpot to keep other interested parties away (a plastic one would do, but needs weighting) Contains at least three chemicals, all natural products and including one of which is harmful to ants at least. -- Chris E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net |
On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 18:17:38 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:
My recipe FWIW: 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon borax hot water to make a thin syrup (probably about a tablespoon) stir until all dissolved Place in a small pot-saucer or shallow dish near the ants nest, and cover with an earthenware flowerpot to keep other interested parties away (a plastic one would do, but needs weighting) Contains at least three chemicals, all natural products and including one of which is harmful to ants at least. That's very helpful. Thank you Chris. Where do you buy borax? Last time I tried to buy borax (I think for some cleaning process recommended on How Clean is your House!) I could not get it. Tried our local Handyman shop, they sent me to Boots, Boots told me to try the Handyman's etc. I never did get it. Pam in Bristol |
On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 19:52:37 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote: On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 18:17:38 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote: My recipe FWIW: 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon borax hot water to make a thin syrup (probably about a tablespoon) stir until all dissolved Place in a small pot-saucer or shallow dish near the ants nest, and cover with an earthenware flowerpot to keep other interested parties away (a plastic one would do, but needs weighting) Contains at least three chemicals, all natural products and including one of which is harmful to ants at least. That's very helpful. Thank you Chris. Where do you buy borax? Last time I tried to buy borax (I think for some cleaning process recommended on How Clean is your House!) I could not get it. Tried our local Handyman shop, they sent me to Boots, Boots told me to try the Handyman's etc. I never did get it. Pam in Bristol We have an old packet, bought a few years ago at Boots (it says Boots Domestic Borax on the packet) but when I said 'harmful to ants at least' I had a vague recollection that our lords and masters had decided that borax was the most lethal poison on earth and decreed that it should be withdrawn from sale, or similar. It seems my recollection might have been correct. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Nippon was a sugar and borax syrup, sold at extortionate prices. -- Chris E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net |
Chris Hogg wrote:
[...] It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Nippon was a sugar and borax syrup, sold at extortionate prices. That's what it is, and they make little secret of it. But if you buy the cheapest form it's not _that_ expensive when you consider all the factors. -- Mike. |
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