Today I learned _______.

[Artichoke Lover]

This thread is basically for sharing what new things you learned about gardening and plants it can also include related topics like cooking with the vegetables and fruits you grow in the garden.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Today I learned to always check packets of pelleted seeds to make sure the pellets haven’t fallen apart or gotten crushed. I also learned that forget me not seeds are burrs. I may have learned this by spilling the whole packet on myself trying to open it. And lastly I learned to always check seed starting trays for ants even if they’ve only been sitting outside a week. Apparently they thought mine was an awesome place to hibernate and woke up when I brought the tray indoors so now my kitchen is covered in thousands of fire ants so I’m just going to go look for that can of ant spray...

 

[Marie2020]

Today I learned to always check packets of pelleted seeds to make sure the pellets haven’t fallen apart or gotten crushed. I also learned that forget me not seeds are burrs. I may have learned this by spilling the whole packet on myself trying to open it. And lastly I learned to always check seed starting trays for ants even if they’ve only been sitting outside a week. Apparently they thought mine was an awesome place to hibernate and woke up when I brought the tray indoors so now my kitchen is covered in thousands of fire ants so I’m just going to go look for that can of ant spray...

Wow
That is awful. We had a few years of tiny ants getting into our homes here. A neighbor gave me a mix that really helped out, I don't know if it will work for your ants.

Peppermint oil, lemon oil, white vinegar and he used washing up liquid but I used liquid soap. Then add water and spray areas where the are and skirting boards. They also hated the cinnamon oil. I add this to my floor cleaning solution.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Wow
That is awful. We had a few years of tiny ants getting into our homes here. A neighbor gave me a mix that really helped out, I don't know if it will work for your ants.

Peppermint oil, lemon oil, white vinegar and he used washing up liquid but I used liquid soap. Then add water and spray areas where the are and skirting boards. They also hated the cinnamon oil. I add this to my floor cleaning solution.

Thank you! I think the ant spray got most of them. I might try that once I can get the store again lol. It just started icing here so I’m probably stuck until at least Wednesday.

 

[Marie2020]

Thank you! I think the ant spray got most of them. I might try that once I can get the store again lol. It just started icing here so I’m probably stuck until at least Wednesday.

I'm sorry you're stuck. My neighbor used lemon washing up liquid. If you have this and any oil for now.

I hope this weather improves for you soon

 

[flowerbug]

any time you can destroy their scent trails it creates more work for them to figure it all out again. adding smelly and oily substances to keep and hold the scents will also help, as long as those oils are not themselves food.

as for baiting ant colonies a mix of borax, sugar and water will eventually poison most ant nests, but i hate to do that. the recipe can be found on-line. you don't want it too strong that they don't take it back to the nest, but you also don't want it too weak that it doesn't work.

for those who have ants that don't take sugar liquid solutions you can try peanut butter or even bits of meat laced with borax solution. and sometimes during a season the foragers may change what they are bringing in or searching for...

 

[seedcorn]

You can also use dry corn meal. Once they eat it, it swells inside them. Dead ants...

 

[seedcorn]

Not to my knowledge.

There are pellets you can buy. Heat/dry weather are only 100% cure I know.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Would this work on slugs?

You can sprinkle salt on them to kill them. They basically melt. I don’t have the heart to do it though. I know they just slugs but I just feel bad for some reason.

 

[Zeedman]

I've learned that after a long running battle, the ants have finally outsmarted me.

We've had problems off & on with carpenter ants getting into the house. There is a huge box elder in the front yard, with a large established nest; so they tend to send out colonies from there. I've thought about taking down that tree because of the ants (and box elder bugs!) but that tree is the afternoon shade for our bedroom, and the driveway.

When ants appear (which is normally in late summer) I can usually bait one of their trails, and that kills the nest within a few days. This time though, bait doesn't work... and we are finding roaming ants now. In February! In Wisconsin!!! Given the temperature outside, the fact that they are foraging indoors means that their nest must be in the wall or foundation. Some of the ants are winged queens, which is the sign of a well-developed nest. I've never before had to use a professional exterminator; but I can't locate the nest, and carpenter ants are termites on steroids. Fortunately, they have so far only appeared in our living room, and the basement below it - not the dining room or bedrooms.