I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have been
affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and isn't
bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the roots
caused by the ants.

I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are and
I guess that it's due to the nectar.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the plants
to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I don't use it
anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't think I have a
choice.

Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the trick?

I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate the
ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

Gareth.

Gareth wrote:
:: I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have
:: been affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and
:: isn't bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the
:: roots caused by the ants.
::
:: I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are
:: and I guess that it's due to the nectar.
::
:: Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the
:: plants to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I
:: don't use it anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't
:: think I have a choice.
::
:: Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the trick?
::
:: I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate the
:: ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

It's likely that you have planted it on top of an already active colony, I
have an enormous ant's nest in my GH and the chillis are 18 inches away and
have not been affected at all, the garlic are closer still at about 6 inches
and these too have not been bothered.

You say the ants are destroying the plant? - I find this hard to believe,
it's far more likely that your plant(s) are infested with aphids, the ants
'milk' these in much the same way as we do with cows...inspect the growing
tips and especially the underside of the leaves and you will probably see
hordes of greenfly, you can spray them with a water sprayer with a few drops
of fairy liquid in it, it worked for me earlier on in the season but only
after I'd lost 2 or 3 plants to them.

To discourage ants from growing areas, put down a paving slab where you want
them to move to and add plenty of water, they can't work with mud and will
quickly take up residence under the stone...I don't reccomend using
chemicals and especially pesticides on food crops and ants don't do much (if
any) harm at all.

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 19:49:49 +0100, "Gareth"
wrote:

I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have been
affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and isn't
bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the roots
caused by the ants.

I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are and
I guess that it's due to the nectar.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the plants
to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I don't use it
anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't think I have a
choice.

Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the trick?

I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate the
ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

Gareth.

I think it more likely that there are aphids on the plants and the
ants are attracted to the honeydew, therefore it is those you need to
deal with first.
Where are the ants coming from? Are the plants in pots?
Are they nesting in one of the pots or are they in the soil?
A specific ant poison that you put down on a plastic lid or something
that they eat and take back to the nest is what I would do.
If the plants are in pots and there are ants in the soil, carefully
unpot the plant, dunk the root ball in a bucket and gently repot.



Pam in Bristol

"Gareth" wrote
I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have
been affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and isn't
bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the roots
caused by the ants.

I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are
and I guess that it's due to the nectar.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the
plants to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I
don't use it anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't
think I have a choice.

Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the trick?

I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate the
ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

For those that may think ants can't damage roots.....
I came back from holiday and found some sick looking plants in our
greenhouse which turned out to be because black ants had made them into an
extended nest. They had removed some soil from the pots to make walkways
between the pots, even up the staging to the next level, and the soil in
the pots was riddled with holes and passageways full of ants and their eggs
etc. I got the impression that somehow they had made the soil in these pots
less able to soak up water but it may just be an illusion, the soil was
certainly a lot dryer than I expected.
I gathered them all up and repotted them putting the soil/ants nest in a
plastic sack which I took down to my allotment and tipped out in a pile in
some long grass. I washed out the pots and replanted the plants in fresh
compost.

To get rid of your ants use "Nippon", it has to be fresh and it's always
worked for me. Just follow the instructions.
Your plants will probably need repotting afterwards.
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 23:19:22 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


For those that may think ants can't damage roots.....
I came back from holiday and found some sick looking plants in our
greenhouse which turned out to be because black ants had made them into an
extended nest. They had removed some soil from the pots to make walkways
between the pots, even up the staging to the next level, and the soil in
the pots was riddled with holes and passageways full of ants and their eggs
etc. I got the impression that somehow they had made the soil in these pots
less able to soak up water but it may just be an illusion, the soil was
certainly a lot dryer than I expected.
I gathered them all up and repotted them putting the soil/ants nest in a
plastic sack which I took down to my allotment and tipped out in a pile in
some long grass. I washed out the pots and replanted the plants in fresh
compost.

To get rid of your ants use "Nippon", it has to be fresh and it's always
worked for me. Just follow the instructions.
Your plants will probably need repotting afterwards.

I totally agree with you. Ants are not the benign little creatures
that some would have us believe they are. I've lost several gazanias
and small hebes this year, recently planted, and when the collapsed
remains were dug up, ants were in the roots of all of them. I don't
think it was desiccation. The soil was nicely damp, but the plants
seemed to have been cut through just below ground level. Mostly red
ants BTW. Other plants nearby were/are growing strongly.

I don't do much about it, but I will have a go at ants undermining
patio slabs or raising humps in the lawn.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Gareth" wrote in message
...
I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have
been affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and isn't
bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the roots
caused by the ants.

I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are
and I guess that it's due to the nectar.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the
plants to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I
don't use it anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't
think I have a choice.

Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the trick?

I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate the
ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

Thank you for the answers Phil and Pam. But there are no (visible) aphids on
the plants.

The ants also seem to be damaging the roots of the plants though their
mechanical operations.

I'm not sure what to do. Ants are difficult to kill by insecticide (that
will still allow the chillies to be eaten). I suspect that ant bait and a
longish wait and a bit of hope is the best option.

Gareth.

"Gareth" wrote ...

I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have
been affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and isn't
bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the roots
caused by the ants.

I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are
and I guess that it's due to the nectar.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the
plants to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I
don't use it anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't
think I have a choice.

Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the trick?

I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate the
ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

Thank you for the answers Phil and Pam. But there are no (visible) aphids
on the plants.

The ants also seem to be damaging the roots of the plants though their
mechanical operations.

I'm not sure what to do. Ants are difficult to kill by insecticide (that
will still allow the chillies to be eaten). I suspect that ant bait and a
longish wait and a bit of hope is the best option.

I repeat...
To get rid of your ants use "Nippon", it has to be fresh and it's always
worked for me. Just follow the instructions.
Your plants will probably need repotting afterwards

Nippon will kill the Queen and your ants will be gone in 24 hours.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Phil L" wrote in message
. uk...
Gareth wrote:
:: I have 12 chilli plants in a greenhouse and a number of the plants have
:: been affected by ants - 1 in particular has clearly been damaged and
:: isn't bearing much if any fruit as a result of mechanical damage to the
:: roots caused by the ants.
::
:: I'm unclear as to why the ants are attracted to the plants but they are
:: and I guess that it's due to the nectar.
::
:: Does anyone have a suggestion of what insecticide I could use on the
:: plants to kill the ants? I really don't want to use insecticide and I
:: don't use it anywhere else in the garden or on other plants but I don't
:: think I have a choice.
::
:: Alternatively would an ant bait placed close to the plants do the
trick?
::
:: I'm not going to have a surviving chilli plant left at the fast rate
the
:: ants are destroying the plants - any help would be appreciated.

It's likely that you have planted it on top of an already active colony, I
have an enormous ant's nest in my GH and the chillis are 18 inches away
and
have not been affected at all, the garlic are closer still at about 6
inches
and these too have not been bothered.

You say the ants are destroying the plant? - I find this hard to believe,
it's far more likely that your plant(s) are infested with aphids, the ants
'milk' these in much the same way as we do with cows...inspect the growing
tips and especially the underside of the leaves and you will probably see
hordes of greenfly, you can spray them with a water sprayer with a few
drops
of fairy liquid in it, it worked for me earlier on in the season but only
after I'd lost 2 or 3 plants to them.

To discourage ants from growing areas, put down a paving slab where you
want
them to move to and add plenty of water, they can't work with mud and will
quickly take up residence under the stone...I don't reccomend using
chemicals and especially pesticides on food crops and ants don't do much
(if
any) harm at all.

Sorry.

Yes, closer - very close - inspection shows that the plants are infested
with aphids. Ironically the ants were probably keeping the plants alive.

I have a pesticide spray but I'm reluctant to use it and I'm wondering if
there is a safe alternative. I've just tried washing up liquid and I'm
eagerly waiting...

Gareth.