Our distant ancestors roamed, worked the land, were engaged in fishing and gathering. We know all this from the course of history. Apparently, this information is spelled out in the genes of people forever, so sooner or later they are drawn to work on the earth. Many begin to engage in vegetable gardens, summer cottages, growing vegetables and fruits. A useful activity for your health and your own wallet, bringing moral satisfaction with the results of labor in the form of a good harvest at the end of the season. Owners of private and suburban real estate put greenhouses on their plots. They grow a variety of garden crops, allowing you to feast on vegetables at any time. But there is a problem and people are wondering how to get rid of ants in a greenhouse. For this, there are special store-bought preparations and folk methods of dealing with these insects.
Ant species
In the gardens and orchards of central Russia, the following types of ants are most common:
- brown meadow;
- black garden;
- red forest.
Areas located near the forest are most often "inhabited" by red forest ants, but greenhouses and greenhouses are attractive for black garden ants. The latter build their nests right on the beds, and in the process of laying many-meter passages, they disrupt the root system of plants, thereby causing their death. Black garden ants feed on plant seeds and young shoots of planted seedlings.
If nothing is done to get rid of the ants in the greenhouse while their colony is still small, then by the next gardening season these insects will completely "occupy" it, and the cultivation of any vegetable crops will be simply impossible.
Features of the fight against different types
Many species of ants can be found in nature. They are distinguished by their appearance, habitat, feeding method and other characteristic features.
The greenhouse often suffers from an influx of black pests that can suddenly appear in the greenhouse. They are looking for plant food, so they settle in those places where cucumbers, tomatoes and other crops are grown.
The ants eat the seeds, so the crop can be destroyed in the bud. To get rid of a specific type of insect, various kinds of technologies are used - from folk methods to chemicals. It is important to take the time to eliminate or chase away the ants without harming the plants.
Red forest
It is quite difficult to get rid of red small pests in a greenhouse. In many situations, they are considered inhabitants of the forest, they come to the dachas that are located close to it. However, they sometimes form colonies in private and apartment buildings.
The best salvation from red pests will be prevention. It is recommended to add 5 g of soda to 1 liter of water, and then add 30 liters of flax oil. This mixture is poured onto the soil. Processing is carried out 15 days before planting. This solution forces the ants to leave.
Black garden
To etch out black garden pests in a greenhouse, it is recommended to make a mixture of 50 g of vinegar (9%) and 50 g of any vegetable oil. Further, the areas where ants accumulate are watered with a similar composition. Most likely, the parasites will leave the greenhouse.Black ants are the most popular species, however, they should be distinguished from large reaper ants in greenhouses.
Yellow pharaohs
It is extremely difficult to expel yellow pests from the greenhouse. They parasitize in people's homes and other household buildings. These insects are also called pharaoh ants as they were identified in Egypt. Pests form large nests that connect to each other. They are difficult to remove, since, having corroded one nest, the ants will move to another. It is recommended to treat each place with the help of the preparation "Thunder-2", which is laid out in the place of accumulation of pests.
Red fiery
Poisoning red ants in greenhouses is possible with a variety of harmless means. These pests live in high humidity soil. Plants and other insects are eaten. They are distinguished by aggressiveness and potent poison. To remove red ants from the greenhouse, it is recommended to use industrial chemistry. The poison is dissolved in 1 liter of water, then slowly poured into the pores in the soil where pests live, and then cover the area with a film.
Why are ants in the greenhouse?
This question constantly torments summer residents. Was not, was not, and suddenly - appeared. And in such a terrifying amount, as if they are multiplying before our eyes. What is the reason? There can be two of them. 1. Most often, insects just walk past the greenhouse about their business, but sooner or later one of the curious "scouts" will definitely look there and inform his fellows that he has found a "warm place" for growing aphids. Here it is important not only to block the path to the greenhouse (small ants will penetrate any gap, so it is impossible to somehow protect the greenhouse from them). It is important not to let them create a "farm" for breeding aphids in the greenhouse.
To prevent insects from growing aphids in the greenhouse, you need to treat the plants and the structure itself with preparations that destroy aphids, and scatter pieces of garlic cloves in the beds around the greenhouse and on the approaches to it.
2. The anthill formed right in the greenhouse. This means that they do not go there "to work", but live here directly. If you do not find a fresh anthill in time, which they are building with incredible speed, having built many tunnels for this, soon there will be a real ant kingdom in the greenhouse, with its own hierarchy, queen and numerous subjects. In this case, you will have to find all the passages and labyrinths arranged by insects for comfortable living, as well as the nests where they hatch, and ruthlessly destroy. But before you start fighting the enemy, you need to get to know him "by sight".
Causes and consequences of the appearance of ants in the greenhouse
Ants start in a greenhouse due to the following reasons:
- they went their own way, then noticed the greenhouse. Here it is necessary to drive them out in a timely manner;
- a nest has formed on the site, and insects come to the greenhouse to grow aphids. It is necessary to get rid of aphids and scatter chopped garlic cloves over the beds;
- the nest was formed directly in the greenhouse by the external digging method. It is difficult to find it, the anthill cannot be found. This is just a small depression under which the ant kingdom is being built.
Such insects in a greenhouse are useful when the colonies have not increased in size. But, when pests multiply extremely quickly, the question arises of how to remove them. Possible consequences of the appearance of ants:
- insects secrete acid, which can significantly increase the acidity of the soil. Not every plant in the garden loves a soil that will need to be limed to get a good harvest;
- the main diet of pests is insect larvae, as well as shoots of garden plants, their fruits.Therefore, with a significant increase in the ant population, the greenhouse will suffer significantly and will not give the expected yield;
- adults are extremely fond of sugar, which is necessary for their proper functioning. In view of this, they themselves reproduce large colonies of aphids. Such a pest spreads and also feeds on plants from the garden, thus causing significant damage to the crop. In some cases, the death of shoots occurs;
- insects are able to organize anthills directly next to greenhouse plants, preventing their proper growth;
- since the habitat of pests is not limited to a greenhouse, they bring weed seeds into it from the garden plot, which quickly germinate and kill plants in the garden in favorable conditions.
However, in addition to damage to the greenhouse itself and the plants growing inside it, insects are dangerous to people. With active reproduction of ants, it is extremely difficult to prevent their bites, in which they will secrete a special acid. In addition to the pain of the bite, some people develop allergies.
Ants don't like too much moisture. Therefore, if high humidity is maintained in the greenhouse, and the plants are often watered, the vital activity of pests will be stopped.
Negative sides
1. Sugar is necessary for the life of black garden ants. To obtain it, they create "farms" of garden aphids, which they try to spread to as many trees and plants as possible.
2. Having settled in the greenhouse, black ants destroy the root system of the planted seedlings and eat the seeds.
3. These insects pose a threat to the life and health of both humans and domestic animals. Their bites are extremely painful and can have serious consequences. The formic acid they inject can trigger a severe allergic reaction.
But, in addition to the obvious disadvantages, there are a number of advantages in the presence of a colony of ants on the territory of a greenhouse or greenhouse.
Fragrant plants
Fragrant herbs have a pronounced smell that scares off ants and forces them to go in search of a new home. Spices have a similar effect.
- ground cinnamon;
- anise;
- bay leaves;
- cloves;
- lavender;
- fresh or dried peppermint;
- branches, leaves and berries of elderberry;
- wormwood - used in polycarbonate greenhouses;
- tobacco and tobacco dust;
- dry mustard powder;
- ground black or red pepper.
Spicy plants are best used in greenhouses with tomatoes, cucumbers and other garden crops. They are completely safe for them and do not harm the soil. Plants can be planted around the perimeter of the greenhouse, sprinkled with dried or fresh herbs. Fragrant plants can be replaced with aromatic essential oils - coniferous, lavender, tea tree.
pros
- Ants, having settled in any territory, completely destroy other types of insects. Including such pests as spider mites and whiteflies.
- As a result of the vital activity of ants, the soil is enriched with potassium, nitrogen and humus. Its structure and quality are improving.
- During the construction of roads to the underground anthill, these insects loosen the top layer of the soil, thereby increasing the amount of air entering the root system of plants.
If, after weighing all the pros and cons of finding an insect colony in your possessions, you come to the conclusion that you cannot coexist peacefully and you need to destroy such "occupiers", you need to think about how to get rid of ants in the greenhouse, how and how you you will fight them.
Why ants are dangerous
Crowds of ants, doing their "job" of moving weights, along the way damage the root system of plants, so much so that they then do not recover, wither and do not bear fruit. Ant infestation is especially dangerous for seedlings and young seedlings.
And the most unpleasant thing for a gardener is that ants breed aphids. They feed on it, in ants with aphids symbiosis.And then these parasitic insects attack the plants and destroy them. It turns out that greenhouse plants receive a double blow in a limited space - underground from overly diligent and hardworking ants and in the aboveground part from aphids, which parasitize plants, drawing out all the juices from them.
Ants also bring weed seeds into the greenhouse, spreading them throughout the soil. And, finally, they bite painfully if a person gets in their way, blocking the path along which they transfer their supplies to the anthill.
So, no matter how useful these insects are, you have to get rid of them. Which methods of getting rid of ants in the greenhouse are the most effective and which ones should not be used.
Chemical control agents
These include unpleasant and pungent odors that irritate and repel insects. Ants do not like the smells of garlic, anise, wormwood, bay leaf, elderberry, mint and mustard. How to get rid of ants in a greenhouse by means of pungent odors was known even in pre-revolutionary Russia. Several cloves of garlic grown in the open field were crushed and filled with cold water for 24 hours. Then you need to water the anthill and the passages around it with the resulting infusion.
One of the varieties of chemical methods is a variety of baits with poisonous substances. The most popular among gardeners and gardeners is the boric acid trap. To prepare it, take ¼ teaspoon of boric acid, a few tablespoons of candied or fermented jam, a couple of teaspoons of granulated sugar and stir it all in a glass of warm water.
Such a "treat" for ants should be displayed for a whole month in small containers, so that it is accessible for insects, but out of reach for children and pets.
This group of methods includes most of the fishing lures and gels offered by the modern chemical industry.
Greenhouse chemical treatment
If the ants are in the greenhouse, and folk methods do not help, you can resort to more effective methods. The most popular drugs are:
- "Thunder",
- "Ant-eater",
- "Absolute".
Thunder is produced in the form of small granules that help remove ants from the greenhouse. Method of application: the top layer of the anthill is removed, and granular powder is scattered over its entire area. Be sure to cover it with earth from above. In a couple of days, insects will leave your greenhouse forever.
The principle of action of the "Absolute" bait is based on the biological characteristics of ants. Even if there are a lot of power sources in the greenhouse, they will go to the Absolute capsule. After a couple of days, the number of insects in the greenhouse will be significantly reduced, and after two weeks they will disappear forever. In addition to capsules, "Absolute" is produced in the form of a gel, which is applied pointwise from a special syringe.
"Anteater" - means in ampoules, which is mixed with water in the specified proportions. The resulting solution is poured into anthills, which leads to the destruction of their inhabitants. In addition to the listed preparations, chalk from cockroaches and ants has proven itself well. Draw planks for them and spread them around the greenhouse.
Greenhouses help to grow a strong and rich harvest. The pests who have settled inside it want to spoil your intentions. In order to enjoy a rich harvest of healthy vegetables in summer and autumn, you need to get ants out of the greenhouse. The damage to plants outweighs the benefits.
Insecticides
The industry today produces a variety of powders, sprays, pastes, gels and ant traps. They are all not safe because they are based on insecticides. It is not recommended to use them in small greenhouses, but in large greenhouses they should be used with caution so as not to damage the plants and their own health.
"Absolute-gel"
The most popular ant killer that works quickly and reliably. It is a package with a syringe in which a poisonous agent is collected in it. It is enough to drop it in a small amount on the anthill, where the maximum number of ants gathers. One of them will carry the poison to the female. When she dies, the anthill will disintegrate itself, and the insects will go to another place.
"Mashenka"
This is a crayon that is meant to kill cockroaches. To apply it in a greenhouse, you first need to take narrow wooden planks, place them on the ant paths, and only then draw small stripes on them. The composition will stick to the paws of insects and will soon find itself in an anthill, where it will do its job.
"Thunder-2"
This product does not need to be applied, sprayed or rolled into balls. It is enough to simply sprinkle ready-made granules near the ant tunnels. They will collect them and take them to the anthill. The insects will disappear completely in about a week.
"A great warrior"
This is a gel, which also needs to be applied to something solid, and not just to the ground. Ants really like the composition and smell of the product, they will gather, literally running to eat it or take it with them. Complete disappearance occurs within a week or less.
Food sources and features of the fight
If the search for the right means of fighting ants in the greenhouse has not yet yielded results, it is worth determining how well the process of destroying pests is built. In most cases, we are talking about spraying or using various infusions and decoctions. But against red and black individuals, many time-tested remedies are no longer effective. Moreover, soon after the ants, aphids will appear in the greenhouse, a parasite capable of destroying plants, literally turning flowering plantations into a lifeless desert.
On average, from several thousand to several million individuals can live in one greenhouse, and the length of the branched underground passages in this case can be kilometers. Moreover, the roots of plants suffer from such activity. And the pest willingly eats young shoots and fruits. Is it any wonder that, in terms of the power of the destructive effect, an invasion of ants can be equated with a locust attack.
Physical methods
This group of methods includes, first of all, finding and removing the uterus ant. However, this is a long and troublesome business. The moves of ants underground can reach tens of meters. And it is quite difficult to find the place of the masonry and the queen, since it is usually located at a depth of several meters.
Another way to get rid of ants in a greenhouse is to find colonies of these insects in the room itself. They love to settle in old and rotten wood, under sheets of old slate and roofing material. If such objects are removed from the greenhouse, the ant colony will be significantly reduced.
There is another popular method of how to get ants out in a greenhouse. This will require 30 grams of flaxseed oil, 5 grams of salt and 1 liter of water. All this is mixed and the resulting solution is poured over the ridges in the greenhouse.
In the event that insects have created an anthill not far from the greenhouse and are raiding your property, a possible solution to the problem may be to physically transfer it to the forest, outside the territory of your site.
Preventive measures
Practice shows that it is easier to prevent any problem than to deal with its consequences later. The situation is exactly the same with ant colonies.
To reduce the likelihood that ants will choose a greenhouse to organize an anthill, it is often enough to follow the following simple tips:
- all stumps, boards and logs should be removed from the site, since it is such places that insects often choose as their home; it should be remembered that ants live in one place, and can feed in another, therefore rotten boards located at the other end of the cottage can easily turn out to be the source of the problem;
- do not store anything superfluous in the greenhouse or greenhouse itself;
- make it a habit to loosen the soil on a regular basis;
- carefully dig up the soil in greenhouses and greenhouses in the spring and before the onset of cold weather;
- fight aphids; often the removal of aphids forces the ants to leave their homes, but it is quite likely that insects will bring new aphids so that they produce a sweet substance necessary to feed their congeners; taking into account the above, the control of both types of pests should be carried out in parallel;
- spill the earth with boiling water before planting; if we are talking about an old colony (usually they manage to take root in a greenhouse or greenhouse if they are not used for a long period of time), it is additionally recommended to use a special solution: add a spoonful of soda and about 30 grams of linseed oil to a liter of water;
- kill the uterus - this will force the rest of the colony members to scatter;
- sprinkle ant paths on the surface and passages into the ground with soda, lime or ash.
Interesting. Some gardeners use one very non-trivial way of dealing with colonies of unwanted insects. They half-ruin the anthill and dig an old, leaky teapot or any other rotten container with a lid into the ground, after putting the material sprinkled with sugar into it. Almost immediately, this "sweet" place becomes the queen's dwelling. Then it remains only to wait for the colony to settle in a new place. After that, the kettle with the queen in it is removed and, if possible, burned. Without a queen, the remaining ants will quickly leave the colony and start looking for another place to live.
When starting to combat pests, it is necessary to understand that it is extremely rare to destroy the entire population living in a greenhouse structure at a time. Especially if you refuse to use aggressive and unsafe chemicals. For this reason, measures to eliminate the existing problem should be systematic.
If you have tried many methods, but none of them brought a positive result, you can always turn to professionals for help. They will not only get rid of insects in the shortest possible time, but also tell you where you can expect problems in the foreseeable future.
Destruction of the anthill
It often happens that ants create their colonies near the greenhouse, which causes negative consequences. Pests will come there for food. In such a situation, it is required to move the nest away from the greenhouse or destroy it. Physical methods can help reduce the number of pests, but they cannot be completely eliminated.
Filling with homemade compounds
It is possible to fill the anthill with 2 methods:
- with the onset of frost, the upper part of the anthill is removed with a shovel, and water is poured under pressure;
- in the summertime, the nest is poured with molasses and water with jam. This will immediately cause the growth of yeast, which destroys insect stocks. After that, the ants try to look for a new habitat for themselves.
When insects settle in the beds in a greenhouse before planting seedlings, it is necessary:
- prepare 2 buckets of boiling water;
- dig a nest for 1 bayonet of a shovel;
- pour boiling water over the beds and leave the greenhouse, leaving the door open.
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Important! Boiling water does not kill ants, but their eggs. Pests in such a situation take their surviving offspring with them and run away.
Sometimes anthills are watered with vegetable oil when other methods have not helped.Sunflower oil is much easier to use: after frying, the remaining hot oil is poured into the holes.
Backfilling with dry material
However, the nests are not only poured, but also sprinkled with dry material: dried mustard, ash, lime, crushed pepper, saltpeter. The mustard powder will keep insects away.
It is possible to defeat pests with the help of millet. Ants perceive it as eggs and drag it inside the anthill. Then it is necessary to water the nest with water, the grains will swell and block the passages. In addition, millet smells bad for pests. After 2-3 weeks, the ants will begin to move from the garden in search of other places.
Also, an easy way to escape from pests: loosen the found anthill, and then sprinkle with tobacco dust or lime.
Expelling and killing ants in different ways
You can fight different types of insects that have settled in the greenhouse using various methods.
"Grandma's" way
Black garden ants will surely settle in a greenhouse if there is one on the site. Warm indoor ground is "to their taste" and is perfect for building an anthill.
Black ants feed on plant seeds and young seedlings. They can destroy an entire young vegetable garden, bring weed seeds into the greenhouse and then start propagating aphids.
But our ancestors also noticed that black ants dislike red forest insects. And not in vain. Red forest ants eat black larvae, thereby significantly reducing their population. Our grandparents, in order to get rid of the black "invaders" of the greenhouse, moved redheads to them. A kind of natural selection.
One problem is how to drive out the red ants from the greenhouse later, if you yourself settled them there.
You can bring ants out of the forest anywhere and take them back in the same way. This will take a little work. Find a large anthill in the forest, collect earth from it and fill it with a narrow path right to the greenhouse and inside it. Soon a whole red ant "river" will flow along this path.
What will forest ants do in the greenhouse when they find blacks there? They will begin to ravage their nests and take eggs to their anthill. The solution is quite effective and safe for the environment and for plants. But, unfortunately, sometimes this method does not work, and both species begin to coexist peacefully in the greenhouse. And the whole procedure takes a lot of time. And in case of success and destruction of black ants, you will have to "take" them away from the garden, pouring a new path from the anthill onto another forest anthill. This method, however, is chosen by people of high humanity, although there is nothing particularly humane in allowing some insects to destroy others.
With boric acid
This tool - boric acid powder - can cope with both garden and forest, domestic and all types of ants.
How to use it correctly?
In houses and apartments, you can make balls of bait from boric acid powder, mixing it with egg yolk, which the ants will definitely take to themselves. When using the bait inside, insects die.
This method will not work for a greenhouse - the balls will have to be scattered over a large area, and the ants will not necessarily find them in the ground. Therefore, it is best to mix two large tablespoons of boric acid powder with two cups of sugar dissolved in a glass of water. This liquid should be generously watered on ant trails.
Another ant-killing compound that includes boric acid is a mixture of boric powder and minced meat. Balls roll from the resulting substance and unfold along the trajectory of movement of insects.
Make sure that the acid with minced meat does not get into the stomachs of pets (especially cats and dogs, but it can also be poultry). Close the greenhouse door tightly so that animals and birds do not eat minced meat stuffed with acid.
A dry bait made of boric acid, which is poured into places of accumulation and paths, but not on the beds, is prepared from a mixture of boric powder with granulated sugar. It is powerful because the ingredients are mixed in equal amounts.
Oil and vinegar
Type in a large container, preferably a plastic bucket, ten liters of plain water. Add a half liter bottle of sunflower oil, preferably unrefined, with a smell. Pour in the same amount of shampoo and half a liter of vinegar.
The mixture must be placed in a spray bottle, and then find where the insects accumulate as much as possible. At this point, make a hole in the soil with a wooden peg, and spray the mixture in and around it. This place is covered with plastic wrap for three days.
Sweet bait
In order not to destroy insects, but simply to lure them out of the greenhouse, another old method will do. A jar is taken from the jam, in which there are some of its remnants. They put it on its side and wait for ants to catch the sweet bait. After a while, a large number of insects can gather inside at the same time.
This method works as a temporary one until you find a habitat for the ants. The jar needs to be taken out into the forest so that the ants do not come back again, and put again as bait.
In addition to these methods, you can spread strong-smelling plants and spices on the paths of ants. They do not like pungent odors, and in a greenhouse, with high temperature and humidity, the aroma will be constantly released. You can use mint, tansy, elderberry (leaves), garlic (chopped cloves or arrows), cinnamon, and coffee grounds.
Combined funds
Ever since Soviet times, there has been a fairly simple way to kill ants in a greenhouse using ordinary mustard. You will need 60 grams of dry mustard powder, which is diluted in one liter of hot water and infused for three days in a tightly closed container. After three days, the resulting infusion is diluted in three liters of water and sprayed on all the plants in the greenhouse. At the same time, you need to fill in a mustard solution (1 teaspoon of dry powder per 1 liter of water) all the visible moves of ants in the soil. You can also sprinkle them with dry mustard powder in a layer of 1 cm.
You can destroy the population of ants in the greenhouse in another combined way, which requires old, unnecessary metal utensils. A piece of dense dark fabric (for example, from an old woolen coat or raincoat), abundantly moistened with thick sweet syrup, candied honey, or fermented jam, is placed in an old pot or kettle. A trap prepared in this way is placed not far from the place of "deployment" of insects. The queen, and after her, all the other inhabitants of the anthill will move to new "housing". Once the trap is full, it must be destroyed or discarded.
If all of the above methods did not help, then the most last resort remains - industrial pesticides. But, before poisoning ants in a greenhouse with various modern developments of the chemical industry, consider that these agents are also poisonous to other insects, including pollinating bees. In addition, pets and children are distinguished by curiosity and incredible sneakiness, it is necessary to protect them from hazardous substances and the territories treated by them.
Prophylaxis
Do not be discouraged if you did not succeed in removing absolutely all ants the first time. Take some preventive measures to keep their population from increasing. Do not keep old boards or pieces of roofing in the greenhouse, as the ants will be quite comfortable to breed in the cracks.
It will be useful to learn about which plants scare off ants. These insects do not tolerate the smell of mint, lavender, parsley, rosemary, marigolds.Therefore, you can safely plant these plants directly in the greenhouse.
If all of the above methods were unsuccessful, then you can contact a specialized service that deals with the destruction of insects professionally.
Effective methods of dealing with ants in the garden and vegetable garden
So you've decided to get rid of the ant colony in your greenhouse by weighing the pros and cons of their presence. Indeed, they can cause significant damage to the crop. If we divide the methods of fighting insects into groups according to the type of exposure, we get 4 points:
- industrial pesticides;
- folk remedies;
- physical;
- combined.
Ant control with industrial chemicals
If ants of any of the above species are bred in the greenhouse, you can get rid of them with the help of diazinon-based chemicals. These are "Muravyin", "Thunder-2", "Muratsid" or "Anteater" of domestic production, as well as German drugs Expel and Delicia.
Please note that these products are dangerous to other living things, so you need to use them carefully, observing safety measures so as not to harm bees and pets!
"Muratsid" - a remedy for ants
Remember to store pesticides so that children do not get to them. After using the product on the site, also make sure that no one is poisoned by unwashed vegetables! If you are afraid of these consequences, you can get rid of ants in the greenhouse in other ways.
Getting rid of the anthill with folk remedies
This includes various poison baits. The most common remedy is a mixture of sugared jam and boric acid powder. To prepare such a "treat" for insects, take 2 tablespoons of jam, 4 tablespoons of sugar and about half a spoon of boric acid. Place the bait on the plastic caps and place them in the greenhouse. The ants will die. Make sure that your animals and children do not get to it!
Boric acid powder can be purchased over the counter
Another effective way to deal with the ubiquitous ants is to scare away with pungent odors that they cannot tolerate. The unloved aromas of ants include the smells of such plants and fruits:
- lemon;
- carnations;
- wormwood;
- wild mint;
- parsley;
- anise.
To use wormwood to combat ant settlement in a greenhouse, you will need a liter of boiling water and 300 g of wormwood leaves.
Pour boiling water over the grass, let it steam for 20 minutes, then dilute the resulting infusion with 9 liters of cold water. After a few hours, this liquid can be sprayed on the area where insects live. They will leave their homes and look for another habitat.
Spray all plants with wormwood decoction
There is a similar way, only you need to spray the plants not with a decoction of wormwood, but with a tincture of mustard powder. Pour a box of mustard powder (60 g) with a liter of hot water and let it brew for 3 days. Then add 3 liters of plain water and process the greenhouse without missing any plants or ant passages. You can also sprinkle dry mustard near the holes.
Physical methods of ant control
This method is suitable if forest ants have built their anthill not far from the house, and you know for sure that it is its inhabitants who regularly come to "feast" in the greenhouse. You don't need chemicals or poisons, you just need to arm yourself with a shovel and patience. Moving most of the nest to another area (preferably with a queen) or digging up the soil will give you and your harvest a couple of weeks' delay.
It is also worth exploring your site and finding places where garden ants can live. Usually they hide the entrances to the anthill under old boards, stones or slate, as well as under the very structures of the greenhouses. You can significantly reduce the ant colony by digging up the villages you find and picking up the boards.
Digging an anthill will make insects look for a new home
Several combined methods
If for some reason the listed methods of fighting insects did not work, use the method that is still known to our grandmothers. You need to take an old saucepan, put a piece of dark cloth drizzled with jam on the bottom, and then place the vessel closer to the ant's house. After a while, it will contain not only a bunch of ants, but also their uterus. You just have to remove them from the site, and the greenhouse is saved!
Another unusual way is to prepare a drink for the ants, from which they get drunk and forget about their work duties.
You need to mix the jam with yeast for the mixture to ferment. After that, you can add a little water to the resulting bait, pour it over the lids and place them in different corners of the greenhouse. Having tasted such a delicacy, the insects stop feeding the offspring and the anthill dies.
After eating hop jam, ants stop working.
As you can see, fighting ants is a painstaking work that requires knowledge of the way of life of these insects. You can use whatever advice you find most effective. The main thing is to take into account all the nuances of using pesticides or natural ingredients so as not to harm plants, children and pets. If you find it difficult to get rid of ants in a greenhouse on your own, contact an organization that deals with this professionally.
How to get out of the greenhouse?
There are a large number of ways to get rid of ants in the greenhouse itself without harming the plants. The effectiveness of such methods is different, however, any gardener will be able to choose the most acceptable one for his own garden.
Mechanical methods
When insects come to the greenhouse, and the gardener does not know how to remove them, then first of all it is necessary to use mechanical methods of dealing with them. Every year it is necessary to dig up the soil well in order to destroy the nests and damage the masonry. It is also required to sprinkle ash on the soil at the end of each digging.
In addition, pests cannot tolerate lime, which forces them to leave. If last season the gardener did not manage to drive out insects, before the next planting of plants in the greenhouse, the soil should be saturated with a solution of soda and flax oil. The ants will then leave the greenhouse.
Use of special tools
When traditional methods have failed, it is possible to control the ants with effective industrial methods. Special insecticides are available for purchase, available in gels, pastes and powders. However, you must use them carefully.
Varieties
Most ant remedies that work well at home are completely useless in the soil. Some of them are harmful to shoots when they penetrate the ground. No method will give complete confidence - this issue should be resolved systematically.
Prolonged gels
Most people, choosing what to exterminate pests, stop at gels, the action of which is aimed at the penetration of the active component into the body. It is optimal to use gels in the spring before the plants are planted. Each drug has its own instructions for use.
Powders
Powders from pests in the greenhouse are poured into the place where ants accumulate, having previously made depressions of about 4 cm. The bait is sprinkled with earth on top.
Crayons
Crayons give off a smell that ants cannot resist. It acts like a powder bait - it kills the uterus and corrodes the offspring in a few days. After 2 weeks, there will be no insects in the greenhouse. During the action of the crayon, it is necessary to control so that water does not wash it off.
Review of popular remedies
There are certain remedies that have received positive feedback from consumers. Diazinon is often the active ingredient in these drugs. In addition to such funds, it is possible to use products from foreign manufacturers.When using pesticides, you need to take into account that they are harmful to bees and pets.
The poison is placed in places where animals and children cannot reach.
Ant-eater
Such a tool is produced in ampoules or vials. Dissolve 1 ml of the product in 1 liter of water, then mix and bring the volume to 10 liters. Then the anthill must be dug up and watered with the prepared solution. The procedure is performed in the morning or in the evening. The product will not affect worms and soil organisms, however, it has dangerous components for fish. Prepared immediately before use, since it is not stored. Its price is 15 rubles.
Muracid
The agent in question is released in liquid form. During cooking, 3 drops of Muratsid are taken for 1 liter of liquid. 1 ampoule is enough to prepare 10 liters of solution. With a similar volume, it is possible to destroy up to 20 anthills. To process, it is required to shed an area that is inhabited by pests. It costs 50 rubles.
Muravin
The tool is considered one of the most common chemicals that make it possible to remove pests from the site. The drug is sold in a packaged form of 10 g. It will allow you to drive away insects that harm the shoots in the shortest possible time. Muravin is completely safe for others. The granules are introduced into the soil in the area where the anthill is located. The drug will protect the planting for 1.5 months. It costs 35 rubles.
Thunder-2
The insecticide in question is released in granular form. This preparation helps to kill the ants in the shortest possible time. The upper layer of earth is removed from the anthill, granules are laid out. The number will depend on the area. Sprinkle the treated area with soil. After 3 days, the greenhouse will be rid of insects. The price is 10 rubles.
Expel
This powder is extremely easy to use. The result of getting rid of ants will be excellent. The agent is poured into the anthill. Over time, insects die. The cost is 203 rubles.
Delicia
The powder in question is fairly easy to use. The powder is poured inside the anthill. Insects will carry poison on their paws inside, where they can infect other members of the colony, who will die over time. The price will be 90 rubles.
Mashenka
This crayon is a universal repeller that allows you to poison ants, as well as cockroaches. Chalk stripes are drawn around the perimeter of the greenhouse, chalk-lined boards are laid out at the ant passages. The cost is 50 rubles.
A great warrior
If you use the gel in question, you can see how insects run in heaps to eat it. However, after 7 days, the insects will disappear completely. The cost is 80 rubles.
Absolute gel
It is the most common remedy that has positive reviews. It looks like a box with a syringe with the gel itself. It is necessary to drop 3-5 drops on the anthill, the pests will take the product to the female. When she is full of poison, she will die along with the anthill. Price 55 rubles.
Scare away the smell
Counteraction to ants in a greenhouse is possible by active and passive actions. It is recommended to take preventive measures to avoid the appearance of pests in the greenhouse. For this purpose, it is possible to use pungent odors that cause anxiety in ants. They do not die, but they leave the greenhouse.
Cinnamon
By scattering a small amount of ground cinnamon in the greenhouse, it is possible to eliminate the ants soon. Such insects are extremely intolerant of the aroma of this substance.
Mint
Ants can mark the path they have traveled with special smells. To discourage insects in the greenhouse, it is necessary to spread the pungent scent of mint.
Sagebrush
Various plants that spread an unusual aroma will help fight ants in a polycarbonate greenhouse. Along with tomatoes or other vegetables, you can plant 4-5 wormwood sprouts. She will scare away pests.
Sunflower oil
If you pour oil inside the anthill, the pests will leave their place forever.The method is completely harmless to the soil.
Herring
The head of a smoked herring is placed directly on the anthill. After a short period of time, the pests will leave their "home" place.
Tobacco dust
To scare off ants, you can scatter tobacco dust in the greenhouse. The tool is quite effective, but it has a significant drawback - after watering, the procedure must be repeated.
Garlic
Pests do not tolerate the aroma of this vegetable. Therefore, the easiest way to scare off ants is to place 5 chopped garlic cloves in a greenhouse.
Ammonia
Also, the anthill can be watered with ammonia. The fumes will suffocate insects. This should be done with extreme caution.
Folk methods of deliverance
Farmers do not always use chemicals, they often try to get rid of pests with folk remedies. There are folk recipes that help to reduce the number of ants.
Jam traps
In a flask made of plastic, the bottom is cut off, and sweet jam is applied to its walls. The trap is set near the nest for 2 days. The insects will crawl into the middle and stick, after which all that remains is to pour boiling water over them.
Aromatic herbs
Pests cannot stand the aromas of a number of herbs: mint, cloves, etc. It is possible to scatter the plants and sprinkle the ant colony with this raw material. This method can drive insects out of the greenhouse, but they will find a new place from the outside, for example, in a flower bed.
Potatoes
These insects cannot digest starch, so potato peelings effectively help fight such pests. You need to peel the vegetable, chop it and scatter it in the place where the ants congregate. Sometimes the cleanings are watered with jam or honey.
Kerosene
In some cases, such a solution is prepared from insects - 2 tsp. kerosene is added to a bucket of water, after which the greenhouse is sprayed.
Ammonia
Such a remedy not only scares away pests, but also destroys them. 2 tbsp. l. dissolve ammonia in 5 liters of water. Next, a similar composition should be poured into the passages in the ground. It is possible to soak a cloth in ammonia and cover the soil with it. In addition, it is recommended to spray the shoots, however, with a dilute solution.
Boric acid
Boric acid is also used against pests in greenhouses. 50 g of sugar, 50 g of water and 5 g of boric acid are mixed. The finished solution is poured into saucers and placed in different corners of the greenhouse. Avoid contact of children and pets with the bait.
Millet or semolina
Quite a popular way to eliminate ants. It is necessary to pour millet in heaps on the nests and wait. Insects try to eat everything, however, their stomachs will not digest millet. The method is effective and cheap, as well as harmless to others.
Baking soda
To fight insects in a greenhouse, ordinary soda is also suitable: 2 liters. powder is dissolved in 2 liters of boiling water. Then the anthill is poured with this solution. Alternatively, you can make a dry baking soda / sugar mixture and sprinkle on the nest.
Vinegar
Another effective folk method for eliminating pests will be the use of vinegar with sunflower oil. The ingredients are mixed and poured onto the nest.
Wedge wedge
It is possible to get rid of black ants by planting red ants on them. The latter quickly ravage black anthills, taking their eggs. When the vegetable garden is near the forest, you need to bring lands with red ants and make a small move to the greenhouse. However, in some situations, pests can jointly cause damage.
