Any gardener knows that the appearance of ants in the garden does not bode well. The benefits that these small insects bring are fully compensated by the negative consequences of their presence.
- In places where ants accumulate, the acidity of the soil increases noticeably. This leads to a deterioration in the life of most cultures;
- Ants often build their nests in the root systems of cultivated plants. The reason is the principles of safety and food availability. Such actions lead to oppression and death of plantings;
- Ant colonies eat large quantities of berries, root vegetables and vegetables with a high sugar content;
- Ants are carriers of aphids and weed seeds;
- It is almost impossible to cultivate beds surrounded by ants. Insects crawl under clothes and bite painfully.
This list can be continued for quite a long time. However, we are interested in another question. Is it possible to effectively solve this problem?
Is it possible to get rid of ants
Ants are one of the most numerous pests in any vegetable garden. It is impossible to completely remove them from the suburban area. Even professional insecticide treatments will have a temporary effect. Insects will return to vacant territories again.
Fortunately, we don't have to get rid of all the ants to solve the problem. It is enough to lime the pests in the most problematic places. For example, in a strawberry garden. This will help us with ammonia.
Benefits of ammonia
One of the benefits of ammonia is its affordability. It can be purchased at any pharmacy for relatively little money. Considering the modest expense, the method can be safely called budget.
Unlike most insecticides, ammonia is not harmful to plants and soil. On the contrary, its aqueous solutions are often used as top dressing for indoor plants and seedlings.
How to use ammonia
Removing ants with ammonia is not difficult at all. To do this, it is necessary to find traces of these pests in the problem area. Usually, they are paths of small depressions, next to which are scattered piles of dust. On my site, such tracks look like this.
Stage 1
First, we need to get ants out of underground nests and gathering places. To do this, you need to take a piece of cotton cloth, soak it with ammonia and put it on the visible parts of the underground exits. To prevent the alcohol from eroding immediately, the fabric should be covered with foil and pressed with boards. The compress must be kept for at least two days.
The caustic vapors of ammonia will fill underground tunnels and insects will rush to leave the territory. Such an environment will be disastrous for them.
Stage 2
After a couple of three days, the compress should be removed. At that time, the alcohol will disappear, so there will be no need for it.
Now we need to get rid of a small number of insects that still remain in the planting area. For this purpose, the bed should be treated with an aqueous solution of ammonia.
To prepare the solution, add five tablespoons of the drug to a ten-liter bucket of water. Stir the resulting mixture well until smooth and immediately start processing.
Watering should be done on the rows, aisles, and crop circles. If the pests have settled in the root system and the crop outlet, the bush can be completely treated.
You need to work with ammonia with a mask and goggles. The liquid has strong vapors. Do not neglect safety precautions.
What result to expect
A few days after the installation of the compress, the ants will leave the nests and passages located in the planting area. From this moment, insects will change their places of accumulation and habitat. After treating the beds with an aqueous solution of ammonia, even single pests will bypass planting.
Read also on my website -How to get rid of a wireworm in the garden: personal experience
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