Ants contribute to the ecological balance of the garden. However, the animals can also cause problems. Here you can find out when ants in parsley are harmful to the plant and how to combat the animals.
Are ants in parsley harmful and how to fight them?
Ants are only harmful to parsley if they undermine the roots or encourage aphids. If you have an aphid infestation, you can treat the plant with water and a soft soap solution. To eliminate an ant nest, flood it or use a clay pot to relocate it.
When are ants harmful to parsley?
Ants become harmful to parsley when theyundermine the roots or contribute to an aphid infestation. Basically, ants are beneficial insects. If you only see a few animals occasionally walking along the ground under parsley, this is not a problem. Ants remove small garden waste. Some varieties eat caterpillars. Their work is even to the benefit of parsley. As soon as there is a whole ant nest in the root area or ant trails are on the parsley, you should react.
When do ants in parsley indicate an aphid infestation?
A heavy influx of ants on the parsley in conjunction withsticky leaves indicates an aphid infestation. In this case, the sticky substance is neither a residue of the parsley nor the ants. It is an excretion of the aphid. Ants feed on this substance. Under their influence, a limited number of lice quickly grow into an aphid colony. Ants care for and protect the pest from natural enemies. However, sticking the leaves together damages the parsley.
What do I do if ants put lice on the parsley?
Spray the parsley with a strong jet of water and then treat the plant with a soft soap solution. Follow these steps:
- Spray existing ants and aphids with a water jet.
- Prepare a soft soap solution with a little neem oil.
- Spray the parsley several times.
Depending on the severity of the infestation, it can take up to three weeks until all aphids and their offspring have disappeared from the parsley. By then you should have the plague under control and peace will return to the vegetable patch.
How can I get rid of an ant nest under parsley?
You can flood the nest withor relocate the ants with a flower pot and wood shavingsIf you pour water or plant manure over the nest several times, sooner or later the ants will run away. You can relocate smaller nests using a clay pot and wood shavings. How to proceed:
- Fill clay pot with wood wool.
- Put over an ant nest.
- Place stone over drain hole.
- Wait a week.
- Push the spade under the pot.
- Move the ant nest with a pot.
Appropriate measures are recommended. Otherwise the ants will undermine the parsley roots.
Tip
Baking soda as a natural control agent
Of course, you don't like putting out poisonous ant bait in the herb or flower bed. You can also fight an ant infestation in parsley with baking soda. This home remedy is also fatal. However, it doesn't stop the trailing ants from visiting the parsley.
