Purple Strawberry
Garden Ornament
Please what do I do? It is to early in the season and I am a first timmer, I don't need to be discourged by pest the early. 
Please what can I do?
Please what can I do?
HELP! Ants in my soil when I pulled up my radishes.
- Thread starter Purple Strawberry
- Start date
vfem
Garden Addicted
Like how many ants?! A few? A colony?!
Did you put your raised beds over what could have been a busy ant population last year?!!?
I'm not completely sure what to do, but there has to be something you could add to the soil surrounding your bed perhaps that won't affect you veggies. I'm going to go research this if I can find anything I will let you know ASAP.
Did you put your raised beds over what could have been a busy ant population last year?!!?
I'm not completely sure what to do, but there has to be something you could add to the soil surrounding your bed perhaps that won't affect you veggies. I'm going to go research this if I can find anything I will let you know ASAP.
vfem
Garden Addicted
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/55324
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/txgard/msg0322204726371.html
There are a BUNCH of suggestions... but this is the one I think you should follow. As stated they carry 'food grade' DE at most feed stores. That is what I think you should do!
"diatomaceous (sp?) earth will kill them and keep them away. i use it all the time - you can get it at the feed store. it is completely safe (all it is is very very small seashells - calcium). the sharp edges get between their body joints and they "bleed" to death. works on all bugs that are jointed - or segmented. you can read alot more on the net about this stuff."
Oh, and don't panic... I've already had 2 freak outs over bugs, and fungus so far and its only April!!!!!!!!!
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/txgard/msg0322204726371.html
There are a BUNCH of suggestions... but this is the one I think you should follow. As stated they carry 'food grade' DE at most feed stores. That is what I think you should do!
"diatomaceous (sp?) earth will kill them and keep them away. i use it all the time - you can get it at the feed store. it is completely safe (all it is is very very small seashells - calcium). the sharp edges get between their body joints and they "bleed" to death. works on all bugs that are jointed - or segmented. you can read alot more on the net about this stuff."
Oh, and don't panic... I've already had 2 freak outs over bugs, and fungus so far and its only April!!!!!!!!!
aquarose
Garden Ornament
I was going to suggest DE too. In the summer, we always have an invasion of pavement ants (the little tiny ones) in our enclosed porch. I had just gotten 50# of food grade DE in the mail for the chickens, and I put a little sprinkle by the door where they were coming in. That one little sprinkle took care of them for the entire rest of the summer. In the garden, you may want to reapply after a rain. It should work for slugs too.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
If it's just a few ants I wouldn't worry. They won't hurt the radishes, and may actually help by keeping the soil nice and fluffy and well-mixed.
If it is a vast underground metropolis, they may create conditions that are too well-drained for good plant growth. IME you may or may not be able to do much about the ants without killing or removing the plants as well. To be honest, I've had zero luck with DE on major ant colonies. Only thing that's worked for me is to move the adjacent (perennial) plants, dig the colony out til I find the queen, feed her to the chickens, then replant everything. And that's not really a veg garden type solution. Hopefully you will be lucky and have weenier ants, or not have a serious ant problem in the first place, I'm just sayin'.
Fortunately radishes are such a quick crop that even if you do have a major problem you aren't losing that much if you have to axe the radishes to prevent damage to other crops, or just wait til the radishes are harvested to go after the ants.
Again, though, if just a modest number of ants, I wouldn't worry.
Good luck,
Pat
If it is a vast underground metropolis, they may create conditions that are too well-drained for good plant growth. IME you may or may not be able to do much about the ants without killing or removing the plants as well. To be honest, I've had zero luck with DE on major ant colonies. Only thing that's worked for me is to move the adjacent (perennial) plants, dig the colony out til I find the queen, feed her to the chickens, then replant everything. And that's not really a veg garden type solution. Hopefully you will be lucky and have weenier ants, or not have a serious ant problem in the first place, I'm just sayin'.
Fortunately radishes are such a quick crop that even if you do have a major problem you aren't losing that much if you have to axe the radishes to prevent damage to other crops, or just wait til the radishes are harvested to go after the ants.
Again, though, if just a modest number of ants, I wouldn't worry.
Good luck,
Pat
- Thread starter
- #6
Purple Strawberry
Garden Ornament
Thanks! I will be going to TSC on my lunch tomorrow to get some DE. Can I just sprinkle it over the soil in-between my veggies or on the ground in-between my beds? The problem is in the beds not path ways.
Thanks VFEM, aquarose and patandchickens. I feel like I owe you big time, I will let you know how it goes. I want to replant some more radishes but will wait another week after I put the DE out.
Thanks VFEM, aquarose and patandchickens. I feel like I owe you big time, I will let you know how it goes. I want to replant some more radishes but will wait another week after I put the DE out.
robbobbin
Garden Ornament
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Good luck finding Food Grade DE at TSC. Here in central Indiana, I have to order it online and get it shipped...
vfem
Garden Addicted
Yes, TSC does not carry DE here either. We have a feed store which I like better then TSC and its the only feed store to carry DE in our county. So I guess I'm just used to knowing its there when I want it.
- Thread starter
- #9
Purple Strawberry
Garden Ornament
I just got off the phone and I called around and I found a store that has DE but it is not food grade (they said as in feeding to the animals) but is safe for garden and yard use.
So in a minute I am going to get some.
So in a minute I am going to get some.
vfem
Garden Addicted
Its really not the same if it isn't food grade. It can affect your crops you plant. Flower gardens maybe, but not around edibles. I wouldn't risk it!
