Ants In Potted Plants - What To Do?

Ants are common in gardens, and they can appear in potted plants.

You can rest easy, because you're not the only one with this problem. But the problem goes far beyond ants in your potted plants; these ants can harm you and your plants, but can they cause real damage to your plants or garden?

Most ants don't have the ability to cause damage to your plants. Similar to something like worms, it's a symbiotic relationship between the plants and the ants.

In this case, the ants are attracted to honeydew-like excretions by other pests on the plant, but they do not cause any harm in the extraction of this sweet substance.

Ants are neither good nor bad to your plants, but they can be a nuisance and bite humans as well as get into food around the house, so you may want to get rid of those ants right now!

Ways To Keep Ants Away From Your Plants

Here's one way to get rid of ants:

1. Simple Insecticide Mixture

This simple insecticide requires you to submerge the pot halfway, which drowns or kills ants that have been nesting in the soil. Here's how to do it correctly:

1. Get a bucket that your plant pot can fit in.
2. Add 1 gallon of water to the bucket.
3. Add 1 cup of insecticide detergent.
4. Mix well.
5. Divide the mixture in half.
6. Submerge your pot into the first half of the mixture in the bucket and pour some more into the soil.
7. Put the other half of the mixture into a spray bottle.
8. Spray the topsoil and escaping ants with the mixture in your spray bottle.
9. Wait 15 mins.
10. Rinse the pot with clean water.

2. Re-pot The Plant

Repotting the plant is one of the best options to consider, because carpenter ants may be attracted to the pot's polishing or finishing materials. Here's how to re-pot your plants correctly:

1. Use fresh water to rinse the roots of your plants.
2. Remove the soil from the pot.
3. Clean the pot by scrubbing it with a sponge.
4. Clean the inside and also the outside with a water and bleach solution.
5. Fill the pot with clean soil and replant.

3. Use Organic Deterrents

The use of organic deterrents is a simple strategy to get rid of ants quickly. This strategy involves the use of household products such as food ingredients.

All you have to do is spread these products around your plant pot. Here are a few you can try:

• Cinnamon
• Baking Soda
• Chili powder
• Peppermint
• Pepper
• Coffee grounds

Ants In Potted Plants Good Or Bad?

Ants in or around your house are harmful and can be a nuisance to you, your kids, or your pets, but they can't damage or kill your plants because they don't eat plants or plant roots. This makes them neither good nor bad is that regard, but I would recommend getting rid of them because of the nuisance factor.