What can I use to control ants in my garden that will not hurt the harvest, plants, or family to eat? I know there is some that can cause problems later. Serious answers only!
we use a product that you put on a piece of cardboard it is a sugary liquid and the ants take it back to the nest it just known as ant killer
Coffee grounds. Pile them up on top of the anthills and sprinkle them around the garden. Ants hate them, worms love them.
Why do you want to control them? There is not a patch of fertile soil ten square feet that doesn't have an ant nest. They will keep the garden clean, and aerate the soil deeper than earthworms. They don't attack food except for fallen, rotting fruit. If you have fire ants, you need to kill them. Otherwise, just let them be. Diazanon has been banned for home use in the US since 2004. Good to know that professional farmers can still poison our food with it, however.
You want to control ants in your home and gardens next to your home but if it is away from your home they are doing you more good than harm. Ant's seem to dislike spearmint, tansy, and pennyroyal, and cinnamon. Grow fresh or sprinkle dry around the areas in your garden that you don't want a large infestation of ants.
Diazinon granules. The ants carry it back to their nest and it kills the colony. It is relatively safe as long as the children don't eat the granules. I used it around my children and pets successfully and had no issues.
