| Author |
Garden Gate:  Fire Ants..UGG!  |
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
 Posted - May 16 2008 : 1:45:18 PM
|
The fire ants are so bad this year! What do you use to rid them? I have them bad in the garden, If I stand still too long they are on my feet biting  It makes me so mad! They are everywhere in the tilled soil and around the plants. I have heard molasses mixed in equal parts water...anyone heard of this? I would like advice before I try anything. 
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2008 : 5:04:55 PM
|
Splenda kills them. They take it down into their nest and whatever it is in the Splenda - believe it or not - they're suddenly gone. I've used it around the house every year for the past 3 years. It's actually the only reason I buy the stuff!
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
 |
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2008 : 6:57:46 PM
|
Wow Lisa,thanks for the tip! I will give it a try!!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2008 : 7:09:34 PM
|
Thanks for that tip Lisa because hubby told me I had to cover them in gasoline and burn them...with the prices of gas and me and fire..not good!!!
Heather
Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!
FARMGIRL #90 |
|
|
|
lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2008 : 10:10:58 AM
|
I don't like messing with gasoline and fire, either. I always picture the worst: the flames following me back to where I'm standing because I didn't notice I dropped some gas as I backed up! However, my pyro husband gets a kick out of playing with the two and has woke the neighbors on several occasions of early morning pyro antics in the back yard. I allow him to have his fun as long as it's not close to the house or outbuildings.
When we bought this house, there was a wood shed attached to the part of the house where dd's bedroom is. Well all the wood stored in there and bark build-up on the ground really attracted those big carpenter ants and they invaded dd's room (apparently the previous owners didn't know any better than to keep firewood away from the house). I read about the splenda thing and it worked. We've since torn down that shed and we keep all of the firewood in a shed AWAY from the house. So now we usually have nests of smaller ants (including those incredibly aggressive, vicious ones) show up every spring and it works on them, too.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
|
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2008 : 7:33:28 PM
|
OK, so I am cracking up at myself! I went to the store for a few things and in my head (ok out loud because I do talk to myself) said, "OH, I need to go find Splenda for my ants!" So I went over to the baking isle and next to the sugar was Splenda. But, being the thrifty farmgal I am, I noticed that a bag of granulated was about $4 and the box of individual packets (like that are used on a resturant table) was about $1.89 Well, I had to go with the cheaper!! SO, not thinking this completely through...I will be opening tiny packets of Splenda and dumping them one at a time on the ants!! LOL! I am crazy!!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2008 : 5:54:18 PM
|
Jessica, that's too funny! I'm not really sure how much Splenda it takes. So try a few and if that doesn't work, open more the next time. At least you'll have a good idea how many teaspoons it takes to kill an ant's nest!
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
|
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2008 : 7:25:04 PM
|
Ok, so I have tried the Splenda for 2 days now. The ants all swarm it and devour it but, I'm not seeing a decrease in numbers. Is this the only thing that will work? I'm so frustrated! Every night I go out to water and work in the garden I'm getting bit by at least one or two on the tops of my feet. I know, I know, you are asking why I continue to wear my flip-flops out there...I don't know it's just easy to slip them on. I HAVE got to get rid of these evil ants!! agggg!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 10:48:58 AM
|
Still having a major problem with the ants! They attacked my eggplant and ate it down inside the stem. I don't think it is going to survive. :( I was so mad, I decide to try something different! So I sprinkled baking powder around and so far it seems to have made an impact. I went to the local nursery and he gave me an organic compound to put down (it looks just like baking soda! ha!) and I think I may have won the battle! I hope! I also got ladybugs! They don't kill the ants but they are so fun to release! (: I will morn my little eggplant I was so looking forward to it's fruit!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
Sagewood
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
South Carolina
106 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 12:55:48 PM
|
Grits..
Now, this may or may not work for you, and it's not a fast worker, but you have to catch it just before a rain..one or two days. Sprinkle uncooked raw, just from the package grits where you see them. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup in the are. Let them eat it (I try to do this the day before a rain. Sound gross, but they will eat the grits, drink water, the grits will expand..and they will explode. It may take several times of doing this and if you can find the mound they are coming from, put the grits directly on the mound.Since you didn't mention seeing a mound, I'd say the scouts are the ones biting you cuz they are out looking for food for the colony. So..give it to them..in the form of grits! :) Hope it helps..let us know how it goes!
Sage,
The Hedgewife
Are you a Hedgewife?
http://hedgewife.blogspot.com/
Hiding in the broom closet.
http://sagewoodfarm.blogspot.com/
|
|
|
|
lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2008 : 06:38:17 AM
|
Holy cow, Jessica! I've never seen ants destroy a plant before. What kind of ants were these again? I've had ants attack me but never anything I've planted. Your ants are far more aggressive than anything I've ever encountered. DH says you have some bad-ass ants there in TX. I'm sorry the Splenda didn't work on them:(
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
|
|
|
Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2008 : 03:39:58 AM
|
At the zoo they use orange oil. But I think it just makes them move the nest
And -any disturbance to the nest, and the queen is out in a matter of seconds |
|
|
|
Sagewood
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
South Carolina
106 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2008 : 04:34:21 AM
|
Here's another trick you can use, I've used it many times but you have to find two seperat MOUNDS. Fight fire ants with fire ants. Find two seperate mounds..ones that you know are not the of the same group..4 or more feet apart. Take a shovel full of the first mound, and put it in a bucket, quickly go to the other mound, take up a shovel full of the second mound, dump the bucket from the first mound onto this one, run back and put the new shovel full from mound 2 on the first mound. Fire ants are 'fighters'. They will fight and kill each other off if they are not of the same mound. Takes some preserverance, but works!
Sage,
The Hedgewife
Are you a Hedgewife?
http://hedgewife.blogspot.com/
Hiding in the broom closet.
http://sagewoodfarm.blogspot.com/
|
|
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2008 : 11:16:17 AM
|
Thanks for all the info!! I think my baking powder/organic compound from the nusery...has done the trick! I don't see many ants, just one here or there. My eggplant is holding on, but I'm still not sure if it will pull through!? Everything else in the garden is doing great...squash blooming, tomatoes on the vine, all seem undisturbed. My garden lookes like a flour bomb exploded because I sprinkled baking powder everywhere! ha! But hey, if it kills the ants I'm cool with the flour bomb look!! Lisa, your DH is correct! Our ants in Texas are very vicious! And they are super aggressive! That made me chuckle!!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
idcityrose
True Blue Farmgirl
202 Posts
Rose
Idaho City
Idaho
USA
202 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2008 : 2:34:11 PM
|
I just got my newest issue of Mother Earth (I actually have some of the very first issues as well as most of the rest) anyway there was an article about fire ants and they said to put out grits (or cornmeal) and that after they eat it they explode. Sounds gross but you don't have to watch it. You might try it as they sound like some new kind of industrial strength ant.
Some people look for happiness, others create it.
We are never alone in the forest of Sisters! We "Mountain Farmgirls" are outstanding in our field! |
|
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2008 : 2:46:23 PM
|
I am so sorry Rose but I am ROFL because I can see myself putting out grits, yelling "COME AND GET IT" and then watching ants combust!! I am sorry,,,wrong...but I have had a long week. LOL : )
Heather
Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!
FARMGIRL #90 |
|
|
|
jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2008 : 2:55:25 PM
|
Number one - I cannot believe there are fire ants in Idaho, Lisa!!!
Number two - Splenda!!!! If that kills fire ants, and any southerner knows they are like the Arnold Schwartzenegger of bugs, what is it doing to us????? But I am going to try it on the ants for sure! Those things are awful!!@!!!
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
|
|
|
abigailc1973
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
abigail
orlando
fl
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2008 : 6:42:26 PM
|
| I sure can empathize with you, Jessica, we have a bad fire ant problem down here too. My kids and I get ate right up. You girls have me thinking though. I think I'll mix some cornmeal, baking soda and sweet n low and see if anything happens. I'll try it all. |
|
|
|
Sarahpauline
True Blue Farmgirl
672 Posts
sarah
Ringgold
GA
USA
672 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 08:34:07 AM
|
We have lots of fire ants here, I havent tried some of these ideas, but I just boil up a big pot of water (free) dig into the nest quickly with a shovel to disturb it, and then pour the boiling water over the nest. This may not be a good choice if the ants are in among your plants but if there is an open spot, this has always worked for me.
Not all those who wander are lost...
www.SarahPauline.com
www.AbraxasBaroque.com |
|
|
|
Betty J.
True Blue Farmgirl
1403 Posts
Betty
Pasco
WA
USA
1403 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 08:51:09 AM
|
Your fire ant problem sounds like my neighbor's problem with mice/rats. She used plaster of paris to get rid of them. They eat the plaster, drink water, and basically it stops them up and they die. It's gross, but you have to fight fire with fire.
Betty in Pasco |
|
|
|
Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2008 : 07:52:43 AM
|
The cornmeal works. My mom had an infestation and when I suggested this she jumped at it. No more ants!
Best Growing |
|
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2008 : 1:38:25 PM
|
OK...so I thought I had gotten a good hold on the ants with the combo of baking soda and the organic compound I got at the local nursery. Until it rained!! Now they are back in abundance. My eggplant DID survive and is growing great! However, the evil ants have lost interest in the eggplant and have moved on to my okra. I decided to try the grits. They devoured the grits and still kept a comin'! They acted like, "Hey, thanks for the snack!" I sprinkled baking soda again and it seems to curb them some. I read about a drench of Garret Juice (compost tea), citrus oil, and molasses. I might try that next! Ants AGGG... will the battle ever end?!!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
kissmekate
True Blue Farmgirl
890 Posts
Kate
Delano
Minnesota
890 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2008 : 8:00:06 PM
|
This whole thread is making me laugh. My kids think I have gone and lost it.
Thanks for the chuckle, ladies.
We don't have fire ants here in Minnesota. I am sure they will wander up here eventually.
I sprinkle Borax around my house and down ant hills. It seems to have helped.
Don't miss out on a blessing, just because it isn't packaged the way you expected. ~MaryJo Copeland |
|
|
|
Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2008 : 5:42:16 PM
|
I had to share this about the grits!! I sprinkled the grits and the next day all the grits were pretty much gone. I thought WOW that must've really worked.
The next day...more ants!
I mixed the molasses, citrus oil combo and diluted it in water to drench. (Guy at the nursery said this would work!) Before I poured the drench I decided to do a little investigating and see if I could find the nests. In the garden it is hard to tell were they are coming from because there aren't any mounds, the ground is tilled and soft. So, I started looking for small holes in the ground, followed any trails I could find and looked under my rocks I have laid for paths. I picked up the first rock and looked under...your never gunna guess what I found! THE GRITS!!! The ants took and hid all the grits under the rocks!! Crazy huh?! Anyways...I poured the drench and it seems to be working. I Guess time will tell if it keeps working. It rained and I had a large mound in the yard, poured the drench on and checked it the next day, they were gone. Crossing my fingers! I Hope this is the trick that works!!
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
|
|
|
Txfarmgal
True Blue Farmgirl
585 Posts
AK
USA
585 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2008 : 5:58:38 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by lisamarie508
Splenda kills them. They take it down into their nest and whatever it is in the Splenda - believe it or not - they're suddenly gone. I've used it around the house every year for the past 3 years. It's actually the only reason I buy the stuff!
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm
oh Lisa, Thank you! We have them bad here and they are terrible in our barn and I don't want to put anything on them that would hurt our baby goats. I am off to buy Splenda!
AngiKay
For he is faithful that promised. Hebrews 10:23
check out Texas 4H! http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ |
|
|
|
clux64
True Blue Farmgirl
162 Posts
Celeste
Blair
NE
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2008 : 09:41:56 AM
|
I lived in Florida for 18 years and fire ants were a big part of the picture. The grits thing worked for me. It's slower than a chemical solution, but slowly will get rid of them if you stay on top of it.
Celeste
"No matter where you go, there you are" |
|
|
| |
Garden Gate: Fire Ants..UGG! |
|
Fire Ants..UGG!
