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Re: Vegetable plants i.d.

On Sun 19 Apr,Sheila Smith/ Michael D. Cook wrote:
> Hi all; how do you get rid of ants in the garden?  I cleared a small
> rectangle of lawn for a new vegetable bed, amended the soil, and planted
> seeds, then the ant hills showed up a week later.  I don't want to use any
> poisons, since the seeds are already there and some have even germinated.
> Thanks in advance.
 Sheila Smith
> mikecook@pipeline.com
> Z 5/6

You don't say which colour of ants you have, the red ones are the
stingers.
My books say that there are good and bad points about ants. The main
harm is loosening the soil round the roots of plants, which may kill
them. The two most ecologically  friendly treatments are:-
1) keep on pouring boiling water on the nests
2) use a 'Nippon' killer (liquid) or borax crystals, maybe mixed with
sugar. The ants carry this back to the nest and are slowly poisoned.
But have a look around the site, you may see them visiting plants to
farm aphids for honeydew. It could help if you tackle the aphids first.
Personally I would use one of the insecticides clearly labelled for ant
control.
If you want the plus and minus details let me know otherwise I will give
my typing finger a rest and get on with my gardening.
Bye!
-- 
Allan Day 41 Villa St. Hereford HR2 7AU allan@crwys.demon.co.uk
Tel:- 01432 275443 (+answer m/c)
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