Ants, ants & more ants - help!

No matter how much compost, manure etc., I've so far managed to dig into our very sandy soil, it still hasn't been enough to deter the hundreds of ants and their nests. I've watered and watered but still the little blighters refuse to find somewhere else to live, to the extent that it's almost impossible to dig a hole anywhere without finding a nest beneath the surface.

I know there's a school of thought that ants don't do much harm, but I've seen them 'swarm' all over some of my plants and the following day, these same plants have been decimated with nothing left but the main vein where the leaf used to be (as opposed to the holes that slugs and snails usually leave).

What can I do to deter these wretched things?

 

Hi Fidgetsmum.

Two natural things I do ...

1) A good squirt of washing up liquid in a spray bottle and fill with water and blast the little blighters ... kills within a minute ... did a load of giant ants on the kitchen patio earlier when our visitors were here and they couldn't believe how quick and effective it was.

2) Vinegar in water and pour in the pot of soil or hole or again use in a spray bottle. Ants cannot stand vinegar and it makes them lose their 'trail'.

Both are safe and effective methods to use around children. pets and plants ... so great if you get some unwanted ants in the kitchen.

 

That is brilliant, thank you. Doubly brilliant really, because my husband (when mistakenly I sent him shopping!) came back with some washing up liquid that was so highly scented I thought he'd bought detergent by mistake. I've kept it in the unlikely event I ever run out of the 'proper' stuff, but now I have a use for it.

 

Mmmmm. Why am I not wholly surprised? :hehe:

 

Just an update. I've been working in the garden with the washing-up liquid 'mixture' within arms' reach and it's everything Victoria said it was. The only criticism I have is that some areas of the garden now stink of the revoltingly synthetic washing up liquid :hehe:. It's got to go!