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Aluminum foil and other questions -Reply

Aluminium foil does effectively provide the plants with more light, hence
increasing the rate of photosynthesis. But it tends to create very bright
spots which could damage the plants when the sun is strong. Better
still, use something white which will diffuse the light a bit and reflect it
much more evenly. White plastic sheets or polystyrene work OK. Other
advantages : it retains moisture in the soil, acts as a mulch and
insulates.But  I don't think it will scare aphids away.

About the ants:
Don't waste too many chemicals on them, I doubt you will ever get rid of
them completely.
Ants do not damage plants directly, but they can disturb the roots. The
main problem with them is that they carry aphids across plants and take
care of the little buggers, a bit like shepperds do with sheeps.
It is probably best to try to control the aphids population. Use organic
insecticides (pyrethrum based ones are safe for you and work well on
aphids) or other pests (like this tiny parasite wasp I can't remember the
name of..).

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