Even if plant lovers know that ants are certainly useful animals, they are uninvited guests in flower pots, boxes and containers. With a little patience and one of the numerous home remedies, they can be easily removed. Killing is not necessary.
How do I remove ants from my potted plants?
To remove ants from potted plants, simple home remedies such as ground coffee, spices, lime, herbs, cucumber peels, abundant watering or lemon juice can be used. These remedies drive away ants without killing them.
Do the ants damage my potted plants?
In general, the ants do not cause any damage to the potted plants; they do not eat roots. However, indirect damage is occasionally possible. Ants look after aphids like people look after their livestock. These colonies of lice suck the plants dry and can cause significant damage. If there are ant nests directly on the roots, they disrupt the water supply to the affected plant, which can cause it to dry out.
How do I remove ants from potted plants?
There are some very simple home remedies for ants. Above all, they are intended to drive away the uninvited guests and not kill them, because ants are very useful in the garden. The use of chemical agents is therefore not recommended. Also, do not use baking soda, even if it is often mentioned as a home remedy. The powder kills the ants by chemical burns.
If your potted plant suffers from aphids, fighting them often drives away the ants at the same time. Additional resources are usually not necessary at all. Since ants don't like wet soil, watering the potted plants thoroughly also helps. At the same time, when watering, soil is washed back to the exposed roots, which improves the nutrient supply of your potted plant.
Expel not kill
Check your potted plants more closely in spring for ant infestation, as the animals often create new nests. Intense scents prevent settlement right from the start. Whether you prefer to use ground coffee or the essential oils of herbs or spices is entirely up to your own taste. Lemon juice is also said to be able to repel ants.
Simple home remedies for ants:
- Ground coffee
- Spices (laurel, cinnamon and cloves)
- Lime, alternatively garden chalk
- Herbs (chervil, lavender)
- Cucumber peels
- Water (plenty watering)
- Lemon Juice
Tip
Baking powder also helps against ants, but it doesn't drive away the actually useful animals, but kills them in a painful way.
