Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Kill Ants on Vegetables
How to Kill Ants on Vegetables. Many insects are beneficial garden dwellers that aerate the soil as they tunnel through the ground. However, if you find ants on the vegetables in the garden, they can attract harmful predators to your garden. Get rid of them as quickly as possible using effective methods that are safe for use on vegetables. Nontoxic...
Many insects are beneficial garden dwellers that aerate the soil as they tunnel through the ground. However, if you find ants on the vegetables in the garden, they can attract harmful predators to your garden. Get rid of them as quickly as possible using effective methods that are safe for use on vegetables. Nontoxic methods kill the ants on your vegetables and around your garden, keeping your vegetables chemical-free and healthy for your loved ones.
Things You'll Need
Sugar
Borax
Large bowl
Spoon
Large spray bottle
Large stockpot
Liquid dish soap
Shovel
Stick (optional)
Sprays
Combine 4 cups water, 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of borax in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and borax dissolve completely.
Transfer the mixture into a large spray bottle. If necessary, use a funnel to pour the mixture.
Spray the borax mixture on the vegetables where you see the ants.
Wash all vegetables with running water before consuming.
Anthills
Place 3 gallons water in a large stockpot. Add a squirt of liquid dish soap. Stir the solution well combining the ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Widen the anthill opening with a shovel or stick.
Pour the boiling soap-and-water mixture into the widened hole. Pour slowly avoiding splashing and burning yourself. The boiling water scalds the ants it contacts, killing them. The soap breaks the water tension, drowning ants that avoid scalding but encounter the water when it cools.
Tips & Warnings
Borax is a natural compound found in many grocery stores’ laundry aisle. It is safe for use around food. However, washing the vegetables helps remove excess borax from the surface.
Ants are attracted to the sugar and the borax poisons them.
Killing the ants on your vegetables requires treatment of the source. Killing ants in the anthills helps save your vegetables.
Diatomaceous earth is another option. Sprinkle it around or on plants. It is composed of ground-up marine fossils. The powder’s sharp edges cut the ants, causing them to dehydrate and die.
To protect yourself when working around ants, wear closed-toed shoes, long pants and gloves. Certain ants, such as fire ants, can impart a painful sting.
Boiling water kills any plant life contacts. Do not use this method next to a vegetable plant or grass.
