Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Astrog

On 25/07/2012 18:56, Astrog wrote:
Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Astrog



The ants are there to 'farm' 'honeydew' excreta from aphids or scale
insects on your orange tree. If the aphid pests disappear, so will the
ants. Use a systemic insecticide to kill the pests. Then, if the
leaves or stems are still sticky from that excreta, wash the plant down
with a rose attachment on a watering can or a gentle spray from a hose.
Once dry, it should be safe to bring indoors.

!NB!: If the plant has oranges which you eat, you may have to try a
soap solution to wash both pests and excreta off. It is not safe to use
a systemic insecticide on plants you intend to eat .. or parts thereof.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:56:02 +0100, Astrog wrote:

Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Years ati when I had a pot plant (not an orange) infested with ants, I
got a container a good bit larger than the pot, stood the plant in it
and filled the whole thing with water. As long as the container is
deep enough the water will drive the ants upwards. I can't remember
what happened then but I got rid of the ants.
An alternative is to take plant out of pot, shake and wash ALL the
soil off the roots, along with ants, and then repot in fresh compost,
ericacious for an orange.
I hope your orange survives.

Pam in Bristol

On Wed, 25 Jul 2012 19:39:09 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:56:02 +0100, Astrog wrote:

Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Years ati when I had a pot plant (not an orange) infested with ants, I
got a container a good bit larger than the pot, stood the plant in it
and filled the whole thing with water. As long as the container is
deep enough the water will drive the ants upwards. I can't remember
what happened then but I got rid of the ants.
An alternative is to take plant out of pot, shake and wash ALL the
soil off the roots, along with ants, and then repot in fresh compost,
ericacious for an orange.
I hope your orange survives.

Pam in Bristol

A little adaptation of Pam's suggestion - wrap some cling film around
the stem of the plant just above where the water level will come to
and spear petroleum jelly onto that. The ants won't cross the jelly.
Leave the pot submerged in water for half an hour to be sure.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay where sometimes
it's raining and sometimes it's not.

On 25/07/2012 18:56, Astrog wrote:
Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Astrog


The easy and clean, trouble free way is to get yourself a tube if Nipon
Ant killer, put down a couple or so small, flat, pieces of hard plastic
(I use little bits of slate)close to where you see active ants.
Onto these put 2 or 3 drips of Nipon, the ants will quickly gather
round, drink it and take it back into the nest. If they take in enough,
and it doesn't take a lot, a tube will do me at least 12 lots of ants in
the glasshouse.
within 24 hours they are gone.

http://www.oneclickpharmacy.co.uk/ni...l?currency=GBP

On 25/07/2012 18:56, Astrog wrote:
Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Astrog


Just to add to the other comments.

Depending on how long the ants have been in the pot, they could have
excavated a lot of the compost to build a nest. If a lot of it has
gone, your orange tree will definitely suffer, as it will tend to dry
out very easily. It would be best to get the tree out of the pot to
check (whether you do this before or after killing the ants is up to
you...).

When the ants have been dealt with, put a layer of weedproof membrane
over the pot holes before you refill with compost. This is because ants
enter a pot through the base, and excavate the compost through the base.
The weedproof membrane will stop this happening, whilst still allowing
water to drain through.

If you don't want to bother doing this, you can dissuade the ants
temporarily by putting an insecticidal powder under the pot.

--

Jeff

"David Hill" wrote ...

, Astrog wrote:
Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?




The easy and clean, trouble free way is to get yourself a tube if Nipon Ant
killer, put down a couple or so small, flat, pieces of hard plastic (I use
little bits of slate)close to where you see active ants.
Onto these put 2 or 3 drips of Nipon, the ants will quickly gather round,
drink it and take it back into the nest. If they take in enough, and it
doesn't take a lot, a tube will do me at least 12 lots of ants in the
glasshouse.
within 24 hours they are gone.



I'll second Nipon as an Ant remover BUT it has to be fresh Nipon. If you
have had the tube for a while throw it away and buy another.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 26/07/2012 08:18, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 25/07/2012 18:56, Astrog wrote:
Hi all,

I have an orange tree, in a pot grown from a pip 30 years ago. It
normally lives indoors, this is in Scotland.

However we moved house, and I put it outside for a while, it got
infested with ants. So now I cannot bring it in because the wife is not
to keen on ants in her dining room.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the ants and not kill the tree ?

Astrog


Just to add to the other comments.

Depending on how long the ants have been in the pot, they could have
excavated a lot of the compost to build a nest. If a lot of it has gone,
your orange tree will definitely suffer, as it will tend to dry out very
easily. It would be best to get the tree out of the pot to check
(whether you do this before or after killing the ants is up to you...).

When the ants have been dealt with, put a layer of weedproof membrane
over the pot holes before you refill with compost. This is because ants
enter a pot through the base, and excavate the compost through the base.
The weedproof membrane will stop this happening, whilst still allowing
water to drain through.

If you don't want to bother doing this, you can dissuade the ants
temporarily by putting an insecticidal powder under the pot.

Thank you all for your useful and informative answers.

The poster who said it had scale on it was correct, had a problem with
this for the past couple of years. I plan to repot (plus membrane) and
get rid of all the compost around the roots, including the nest. I have
already sprayed it for scale, and will give it a few days then repot.

Only then will the wife let it across the door !

Astrog