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How to Get Rid of Ants in the Garden Naturally (9 Ways)

How to Naturally Get Rid of Ants In Your Garden

If you’re like me, you enjoy spending time in your garden during the warm summer months. But if you’re also like me, you’ve probably had to deal with ants invading your garden and making life difficult. However, in an attempt to increase the quality of my garden this year, I’ve been using natural methods to avoid pesticides.

Ants can be a real nuisance, but thankfully there are many ways to get rid of them naturally. Fortunately, there are plenty of natural methods that can help you get rid of ants in the garden naturally including:

  • Distract Them With Food
  • Create a Barrier
  • Use Essential Oils
  • Soak Them With Soap and Water
  • Make Homemade Ant Spray
  • DIY Ant Trap
  • Sprinkle Cinnamon
  • Cover the Nest With Plastic Wrap
  • Use Boric Acid

In this blog post, we will take a much closer look at how each of these natural methods works to get rid of the ants in your garden once and for all. But before we get into that, let’s take a quick look at why ants are attracted to your garden in the first place.

Why You Have Ants In Your Garden

One of the primary reasons ants are attracted to gardens is their desire for food. If you have fruit trees or plants in your garden, chances are good that you’re attracting ants. Another reason ants might be interested in your garden is that they’re looking for water.

If you have a problem with ants in your garden, the first thing you should do is try to figure out what is attracting them in the first place. Once you know what they’re after, you can take steps to eliminate those attractants and make your garden less appealing to them.

 

how to get rid of ants in the garden naturally

 

9 Ways to Get Rid of Ants In the Garden Naturally

So now that we know a little bit more about why ants are attracted to gardens, let’s take a closer look at each of the natural methods you can use to get rid of them.

1. Distract Them With Food

One way to keep ants out of your garden is to distract them with food. You can do this by placing a bowl of sugar water or honey near the entrance to your garden.

The ants will be attracted to the sweet treat and will forget all about what they were doing in your garden.

The downside to this method is that it will attract other insects to your garden as well, so you’ll need to be vigilant about keeping the bowl clean and free of ants.

Another way to use food to your advantage is to place some cucumber peelings around the perimeter of your garden. Ants are attracted to cucumbers, so they’ll be drawn to the peelings and away from your plants.

Just make sure you replace the peelings every few days, or they’ll start to rot and attract other pests.

And finally, you can also try sprinkling coffee grounds around your plants. The strong smell of coffee will mask the scent of your plants and keep ants away. Plus, coffee grounds make great fertilizer for your plants!

2. Create a Barrier

Another effective way to get rid of ants in the garden is to create a barrier between them and your plants. There are many different ways you can do this, but one of the most common is to use diatomaceous earth.

Diatomaceous earth is a powder made from the fossilized remains of algae. It’s safe to use around plants and animals, and it’s very effective at killing ants.

To use diatomaceous earth, simply sprinkle it around the perimeter of your garden. The ants will come into contact with the powder and die.

You can also use other things like coffee grounds, cayenne pepper, or citrus peel to create a barrier. Just like diatomaceous earth, these things will kill ants when they come into contact with them.

3. Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are another great way to get rid of ants naturally. Peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and citrus oil are all effective at killing ants.

To use essential oils, simply mix a few drops with water in a spray bottle and spray it around the perimeter of your garden. The ants will come into contact with the oil and die.

You can also place a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and place it near where you’ve seen ants. The scent of the oil will repel them and keep them away from your plants.

Essential oils are not only effective at getting rid of ants, but they also smell great! If you don’t have any essential oils on hand, you can also use vinegar. Vinegar is an acidic substance that ants don’t like and it will kill them when they come into contact with it.

To use vinegar, simply mix it with water in a spray bottle and spray it around the perimeter of your garden.

You can also soak a cotton ball in vinegar and place it near where you’ve seen ants. The scent of the vinegar will repel them and keep them away from your plants.

Vinegar is a great natural alternative to essential oils if you don’t have any on hand. Whichever method you choose, be sure to reapply every few days or as needed to keep the ants away.

4. Soak Them With Soap and Water

Another effective way to get rid of ants is to soak them with soap and water. The soap will kill the ants and the water will drown them.

To use this method, simply mix a few drops of dish soap with water in a spray bottle and spray it directly on the ants.

You can also place a bowl of soapy water near where you’ve seen ants. The ants will be attracted to the water and will drown when they try to drink it.

This method is very effective, but be sure to keep an eye on the bowl of soapy water because other insects like bees and ladybugs can also drown in it.

If you see any non-ant insects drowning in the bowl, simply scoop them out with a spoon and release them back into your garden.

Soapy water is a great natural alternative to insecticides because it’s safe to use around plants and animals. Just be sure to keep an eye on the bowl of soapy water so that you don’t accidentally kill any beneficial insects.

5. Make Homemade Ant Spray

If you’re looking for a more potent way to get rid of ants, you can make homemade ant spray. This spray is made with ingredients that are known to kill ants.

To make homemade ant spray, simply mix equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to the mixture.

Shake the mixture well and then spray it directly on the ants. The vinegar will kill them and the essential oil will repel them. This spray is very effective, but be sure to use it sparingly because it can also kill beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs.

Homemade ant spray is a great natural alternative to commercial insecticides. It’s safe to use around plants and animals, but be sure to use it sparingly so that you don’t accidentally kill any beneficial insects.

 

how to get rid of ants in the garden naturally

 

6. DIY Ant Trap

If you’re looking for a more permanent solution to your ant problem, you can make a DIY ant trap. This trap is made with ingredients that are known to kill ants.

To make a DIY ant trap, simply mix equal parts of sugar and water in a bowl. Then add a few drops of dish soap to the mixture and stir it well.

Next, place the mixture in a shallow dish and place it near where you’ve seen ants. The ants will be attracted to the sugar and will drown when they try to drink it.

This trap is very effective, but be sure to check it regularly and empty it when it’s full of dead ants. Otherwise, the smell of the dead ants will attract more ants to the trap.

DIY ant traps are a great natural alternative to commercial insecticides. They’re safe to use around plants and animals, but be sure to check them regularly and empty them when they’re full of dead ants.

7. Sprinkle Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another effective way to get rid of ants. The scent of the cinnamon will repel the ants and keep them away from your plants.

To use this method, simply sprinkle cinnamon around the perimeter of your garden. You can also place a few sticks of cinnamon near where you’ve seen ants. This method is very effective, but be sure to reapply the cinnamon every few days or as needed to keep the ants away.

Cinnamon is a great natural alternative to essential oils if you don’t have any on hand. Whichever method you choose, be sure to reapply every few days or as needed to keep the ants away.

8. Cover the Nest With Plastic Wrap

If you can find the nest of the ants, you can get rid of them by covering them with plastic wrap. This will suffocate the ants and kill them.

To use this method, simply locate the nest of the ants and cover it with plastic wrap. Be sure to secure the edges of the plastic wrap so that no air can get in.

This method is very effective, but be sure to check the nest regularly and remove any dead ants. Otherwise, the smell of the dead ants will attract more ants to the nest.

If you are unsure of where to find the ant’s nest, some of the first signs of an infestation include small piles of dirt or sand near your plants. Be sure to check these areas regularly and if you see any ants be sure to follow them back to their nest.

Covering the nest with plastic wrap is a great natural alternative to using insecticides. It’s safe to use around plants and animals, but be sure to check the nest regularly and remove any dead ants.

9. Use Boric Acid

Boric acid is another effective way to get rid of ants. The acid will kill the ants and keep them away from your plants. Boric acid is a natural insecticide that is derived from boron. You can purchase boric acid at most hardware stores.

To use this method, simply sprinkle boric acid around the perimeter of your garden. You can also place a few tablespoons of boric acid near where you’ve seen ants. This method is very effective, but be sure to reapply the boric acid every few days or as needed to keep the ants away.

Potential downsides to using boric acid in your garden include the fact that it can be harmful to animals if ingested and it can also kill beneficial insects. If you choose to use this method, be sure to use it sparingly and only in areas where pets and children cannot reach it.

Boric acid is a great natural alternative to essential oils if you don’t have any on hand. Whichever method you choose, be sure to reapply every few days or as needed to keep the ants away.

 

how to get rid of ants in garden naturally

 

Related Questions

How do I get rid of ants in my house naturally?

To get rid of ants in your house naturally, try using a mixture of equal parts sugar and water. You can also add a few drops of dish soap to the mixture. Place the mixture in a shallow dish and place it near where you’ve seen ants. The ants will be attracted to the sugar and will drown when they try to drink it.

What attracts ants?

There are a few things that may attract ants to your property. Some of these include food sources, moisture, and shelter. To prevent ants from coming into your home, be sure to keep food sealed tightly and remove any crumbs or spills immediately. Additionally, try to fix any leaks or standing water around your home. If you feel like you can’t control the ants in your home, garden, or yard, contact a pest control professional!

How do I stop ants from coming into my house?

To stop ants from coming into your house, you’ll need to figure out what’s attracting them in the first place. Once you’ve determined the attraction, you can take steps to remove it. Some common attractions include food sources, moisture, and shelter. To prevent ants from coming into your home, be sure to keep food sealed tightly and remove any crumbs or spills immediately. Additionally, try to fix any leaks or standing water around your home.

In Conclusion

There are a variety of ways to get rid of ants in the garden naturally. Some of these include using essential oils, cinnamon, and boric acid. Whichever method you choose, be sure to reapply it every few days or as needed to keep the ants away.

Ants in the garden are both annoying and can cause damage to your plants. For this reason, it is important to be proactive when noticing the first signs of an infestation. By using these natural methods, you can get rid of ants without harming your plants or the environment.

author avatar
Matt McWilliams

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