If you are a plant lover and grow house plants, seeing ants in them can be frustrating. Eventually, you think, “how do I get rid of ants in my houseplants?” Ants can be found in all sorts of places, but you should keep an eye out for them in your houseplants. They’re probably not after your plant; they’re just looking for a place to live.
There is not just a single best way to get rid of ants in houseplants; rather, there are several methods that you can undertake to eradicate the ants, and this particular article will provide you with a few fantastic ideas on how to do it! Let us take a look at the best ways to get rid of ants from houseplants.
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Why Are Ants In My Plants, Pots, And Soil?
Ants live in plants and soil because they like those places. They feed on the plant’s leaves, stems, roots, and other parts.
If you see ants in indoor plants or potting soil, then you may need to take care of that issue soon before it becomes a bigger problem for your house.
Ants are attracted to plants because they have natural crevices in their soil, making them good living spaces for ants. They also like the moisture and organic food that is found inside the leaves of a plant.
Ants often get into potted plants because they often don’t move their plants and leave them in just one place. Ants are attracted to moist and warm areas, which is why you’ll find them in pots of soil and even inside the stems of some flowers.
Sometimes ants will crawl up a plant’s stem or leaves, but they generally prefer to stay on the ground near where food sources can be found.
If you notice that ants are crawling around on top of your plants, try moving them to a different spot, this could actually help with getting rid of the ants without doing too much.
How Can Ants Help Your Garden?
Ants Control Pests Naturally
Ants are beneficial when it comes to keeping your garden healthy by eating the eggs and larvae of various pests.
Ants are so effective that some plant growers introduce them on purpose. Ants can be used to control pests naturally, which is more environmentally friendly than using chemicals.
Ants Improve Pollination Rates
Ants are a beneficial species to have around. They can help pollinate plants by accidentally visiting them, providing necessary nutrients, and cleaning up any messes in the process.
A study found that ants improve pollination rates by marching from flower to flower in search of food. The increased flow of ants attracts other insects, and thus pollination happens as a result, and more plants are able to reproduce successfully.
How Can Ants Hurt Your Garden?
Ants Increase Pest Populations
Ants farm aphids while protecting them. Ants do not eat the plants themselves, but they increase the natural population so that food is abundant for other insects and pests, which results in a grown population of these animals on the plant and its destruction.
Ants Cause Pain and Property Damage
Some ant problems may be more concerning to your garden experience than the garden itself. And two varieties of ants are particularly troublesome.
Perhaps the most well-known ant species, fire ants, will sting if provoked. Their poison causes a painful welt to appear on the skin that lasts for several days.
Harvesting could be a nightmare if your plants are infested with fire ants. Carpenter ants may bite (with powerful jaws) and then spray formic acid — which causes a burning sensation — into the wound, even though they can’t sting like fire ants. Thus a carpenter ant bite isn’t exactly a pleasurable experience either.
How Do i Get Rid of Ants in my houseplants?
Eliminate Pests
Ants are attracted to honeydew, a food source for ants. If you want to eliminate them from your tree or garden area, take away the insects that provide them with honeydew by spraying them with water and using a pest bait that is made specifically for this purpose.
Insecticidal soap or pyrethrum spray is the best way to get rid of pests in potted plants, but you will need to make sure that you are using a product designed for indoor use.
Soak the Soil
If you want to bid goodbye to ants residing in your houseplant, follow these steps:
1. Soak the soil to loosen it up.
2. Add some dish soap or liquid soap (a teaspoon) and some water to a spray bottle.
3. Spray the plant until all visible ants are gone
Soak the soil for 30 minutes before planting to make sure it is safe from ants.
Soak the soil with insecticidal soap to kill any insects that may be living in it. You can also use this method to kill cockroaches, fleas, and ticks.
Replace the Soil
Sometimes the only option is to replace the soil. Extract the plant from the pot and lay it aside, but be cautious since an entire ant colony will be rushing around in all directions.
- Place the pot somewhere where it won’t be a problem.
- By using your two hands, a brush, and a gentle spray of water, gently get rid of as much soil as you can from around the plant’s roots.
- Remove all soil from the pot and scrub it clean if necessary.
- Replace the plant in the pot with fresh potting soil and a solution of insecticidal soap and water.
- Keep the plant healthy and well-watered from here on out.
Natural Deterrents
Various studies have concluded that ants don’t like citrus, so they put lemon peels or orange peels in their plants to keep the pests away. However, this doesn’t always work because ants are also attracted to sweet things. But mostly, this will work.
Natural Deterrents is a strategy to deter pests from entering your property. Boil the skin of seven oranges in water for half an hour, then place them on top of each other. The smell will drive away from most unwanted visitors, such as ants!
Another natural deterrent method is to add a tablespoon of dish soap and several drops of peppermint oil into water, then pour that mixture onto the ground around your houseplant.
how to get rid of ants in flower pots?
If you have ants in your flower pots, there are a few things you can do to get rid of them.
- One option is to mix up a homemade ant spray using water and dish soap.
- Another is to set out small dishes of sugar water or honey near the affected plant pots. The ants will be attracted to the sweet liquid and will drown in it.
- You can also try sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the base of the plants. This natural powder will kill the ants without harming your plants.
Preventative Measures
As we all know, it is better to prevent than to cure; therefore, keep the causes of infestations in mind.
- Allowing your potting mix to dry out on a regular basis is not a good idea.
- Every couple of years, replace the material in the pot.
- If you think the mixture has turned into a water-repellant, then go ahead and soak it.
- Keep an eye out for pests, especially those that emit honeydew, and get rid of them.
- Keep an eye out for pest insects, especially those that emit honeydew, and get rid of them.
Ants are good for your plants and yard. Because they hunt on insects that may damage your plant and thus don’t set out to eliminate all ants. However, for the sake of the plant, you want them out of your potted plants.
Ants frequently infest neglected plants, so take care of yours to avoid infestations and remove any undesired plants as soon as possible rather than letting them die in a planter.
Use Pot Feet
Plant the pot feet on the bottom of pots. The worst infestation is when a pot sits directly on the ground or deck, and ants can easily come in through small cracks. Using pot feet will help keep ants out of your plants!
Essential Oil
Ants can get into your houseplants and cause damage. To prevent this, you should:
– Add water and essential oils around the edges of the pot or near its entrance; this will essentially create a barrier that ants cannot cross.
