Ants on strawberries are not immediately a disadvantage. They tidy up the garden and bring benefits. However, if more and more ants appear, it can indicate problems. With these tips you can get rid of the animals again.
Are ants on strawberries harmful?
Ants are not directly harmful to strawberries, but can indicate aphid infestation or affect the plants through underground tunnels. Remove aphids and keep ants away with scented plants, algae lime or other natural means.
Are ants harmful to strawberries?
Ants themselves arenot harmful for strawberries. However, the animals can indicate certain problems. A constant influx can indicate an aphid infestation. The ants can also undermine the plants. A small anthill under a strawberry bed literally undermines the substance of the plant. The roots then no longer have as good access to the soil's nutrients. In this case too, you should react and relocate the ants if possible.
When do ants indicate aphid infestation on strawberries?
If you see asticky residue on the leaves, this indicates aphids. The small animals settle on the leaves of the plants and excrete a sticky residue that the ants feed on. To do this, ants colonize, protect and milk aphids. As a result, more and more aphids quickly spread on the plant. Their sticky secretions cover the leaves. As a result, photosynthesis and metabolism slow down. This reduces the crop yield and promotes fungal infestation.
How do I remove ants from strawberries?
If you remove theaphids, the ants will also disappear from the strawberry. You should definitely take action against the louse. Otherwise, the aphids will soon cause damage to the strawberries. This is how you take action against the pests:
- Spray the strawberry with a jet of water.
- Spray plants with soft soap solution.
- Apply treatment three days a week.
- The aphids should disappear after about three weeks.
It is also possible to combat aphids with alcohol. However, you shouldn't rely on that here. After all, you want to eat the fruit.
How do I keep new ants away from strawberry plants?
You can ward off the plague of ants withfragranceor alkalinelimestone. Plant herbs like the following as companion plants in the same bed as the strawberries. The essential oils of the herbs keep ants away:
- Thyme
- Wormwood
- Marjoram
- Lavender
You can also sprinkle tea tree oil, grated lemon peel or tansy decoction. These substances are also suitable for controlling ants. Another method aims to disrupt ant trails. Draw a border through this with algae lime. The ants will not exceed this.
Tip
Use alternatives to baking powder
Baking soda is also often used to eliminate ants on strawberries. However, this remedy works quite harshly. It is deadly to ants. Remember that animals provide many useful services in your garden. They should keep you away from fruits and vegetables, but not kill you outright.
