Ants are actually useful for the garden. If there are a particularly large number of ants on raspberries and even climbing up the plant, this can also indicate problems. Use these tips to help the plant.
Are ants on raspberries harmful and how can you get rid of them?
Ants on raspberries are not generally harmful, but can indicate an aphid infestation. To get rid of ants, eliminate aphids with water and soft soap solution. Home remedies such as lime or essential oils can help, as can herbs such as thyme, juniper or lavender near the plant.
Are ants on raspberries harmful to the plant?
Ants themselves arenot a problem for a raspberry plant. With their activity, the animals loosen the soil beneath plants. This ensures well-ventilated and permeable soil in which the raspberry roots thrive. The ants also carry away fallen berries that lie on the ground and otherwise spoil. The animals also do a good service for the raspberry bush as ecological waste disposal. For these reasons, an ant is more of a beneficial insect than a pest.
When do ants visit raspberries?
A noticeably large amount of ant traffic on the raspberry can indicate anaphid infestation. You can tell whether this is the case by looking at the condition of the raspberry leaves. The aphid leaves a sticky residue on the leaves. This is the so-called honeydew. This is a lice excretion. The ants feed on these, care for and protect the pests. A permanent infestation with aphids has a negative effect and can promote fungal infestation. That's why you should react.
How do I get ants away from raspberries?
If you eliminate theaphids the ants will also disappear. The best way to deal with the aphids is as follows:
- Hose the raspberry bush with water.
- Mix 1 liter of water with 1 tablespoon of soft soap.
- Spray the bush with the solution.
- Spray raspberry with solution 3 times a week for 3 weeks.
Removing the aphids usually helps against some ant trails. If necessary, you should relocate ant nests.
Which home remedies keep ants away from raspberries?
You can uselimeor certain odorous substances withessential oils to combat ants. As a rule, ants do not walk on lime because the alkaline substance acts against formic acid. The following materials keep ants away from raspberries thanks to their smell:
- Cinnamon
- Lemon
- Tea tree oil
- Vinegar
If you use one of these home remedies, you can fight ants well without spreading pollutants. Baking soda is sometimes also used against ants. However, this can be fatal for the beneficial ants.
Which planting combinations prevent ants on raspberries?
EspeciallyHerbs with a high proportion of essential oils keep ants away from the raspberries. The following herbs, among others, work well against ants:
- Thyme
- Juniper
- Wormwood
- tansy
- Lavender
You can plant the plants well near the raspberry. You can effectively protect shrubs or your fruit tree through targeted planting combinations.
Tip
Natural predators help against aphids
You can get support against aphids from their natural predators. For example, ladybirds and some species of flies feed on the animals or their larvae. So you should let animals like these crawl on raspberry bushes.
