How to Keep Ants Out of a Garden

7.15.24
Ants, Blog

Did you know that ants offer benefits to gardeners? If not, it’s worth knowing that ants aerate the soil and prey on other pests, so their presence does offer gardeners some benefits. However, ants tend to overwhelm gardens and ultimately damage plants or disturb roots by farming aphids. So, gardeners are left wondering how to keep ants out of their garden.

Keeping ants (or any pest) away starts with understanding their behavior. Ants are always looking for new homes and food sources for their colony. Like trying to keep other critters out of your garden, getting ants out of a garden dovetails from controlling access to food and shelter. Ultimately, ants seek shelter and nesting sites in the loose, rich soil of a garden bed. Plus, gardens offer protection for their colonies, along with convenient hiding spots.

Fortunately, there are time-tested methods to keep ants away. To help, the following methods will help get ants out of your garden.

Natural Ant Repellents

First and foremost, let nature work as your pest control team. From specific scents to essential oils, there are plenty of things around the house that ants disklike. For example, the following smells help keep ants out of the garden.

Ants dislike the strong scent of cinnamon, citrus, and vinegar. To get ants out, then sprinkle cinnamon around the garden bed, scatter citrus peels around the garden or spray a mixture of vinegar and water on ant trails and nests. These smells disrupt their scent trails, navigation ability, and deter them from entering your garden.
Natural essential oils are known for their ant-repelling properties. To keep ants away then create a solution by diluting peppermint, citrus, or tea tree oil in water and spraying it around plant pots or affected areas. It may take a few days, so refresh the spray daily for continued effectiveness.
Planting herbs and flowers that repel ants can create a natural barrier. For example, flowers such as lavender or tansy not only help keep ants away, but also add beauty and fragrance to your garden.
Nematodes are microscopic organisms that target and parasitize ant larvae and pupae, helping to disrupt the ant life cycle. Consider applying them to the soil around plants to reduce the ant population in your garden.
Diatomaceous Earth is a natural powder is made from fossilized aquatic organisms. Simply sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your garden beds and it provides a physical barrier, damaging the exoskeletons of ants and deterring them from crossing and damaging plants and flowers.
Create a moat around your garden bed by digging a shallow trench and filling it with water. Alternatively, apply a sticky substance like petroleum jelly around the base of plant stems to block ants from climbing up.

Other Ant Bait and Trap Repellents

If a natural ant repellent doesn’t help get the ants out of your garden, there are other ant baits and traps that may work. However, it is important to consider the type of garden before applying any non-natural repellent. For example, even applying a non-toxic trap may not be advisable for a tomato garden. But, for flower gardens or something similar, then these other ant repellents may offer another solution.

Place ant baits away from your garden plants to attract ants. The bait contains a food source mixed with a slow-acting insecticide, so the ants carry the bait back to their nest and gradually reduce the ant infestation.
Create a homemade ant bait using borax, sugar, and water. Place the bait in shallow containers near ant trails. The ants are attracted to the sugar, and the borax acts as a slow-acting poison that eliminates the colony.

Garden Maintenance Tips to Get Rid of Ants

The best remedy is ongoing maintenance that stops ants from nesting in a garden. As a result, regularly inspect your garden flowers and plants (or yard) for ant activity. Look to keep the garden, along with shrubs and foliage free of debris and consistently implement pest management solutions year-round.

Remove debris, such as fallen leaves, fruits, and other organic matter that may attract ants. A tidy garden is less appealing to ants looking for food and nesting sites.
Keep plants well-pruned to prevent ants from accessing overhanging branches or pathways to nests. Trim back vegetation that touches the ground or other plants. By reducing dense foliage, it is more difficult for ants to build nests and establish their colonies.
Applying mulch maintains soil moisture while reducing the attractiveness of your garden to ants. Why? Ants prefer dry, exposed soil for nesting, so the mulch protects the plants by providing a layer above the soil.
Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to your garden. These insects prey on aphids and other pests that attract ants, reducing the ant population indirectly.

How to Get Ants Out of a Garden with Pest Control

If these proactive and mostly natural measures do not get the ants out of your garden, then consider pest control.

Working with a professional ant pest control provider helps provide peace of mind knowing that your home and family remain safe. Typically, ant control treatment includes proactive steps, such as:

Fully cleaning your kitchen to remove all residue, including sweeping behind appliances and throwing away any garbage
Tossing out old food
Make sure all food – including pet food – is stored in fully sealed containers
Removing any debris and residue from the garbage bin
Getting leaky faucets and appliances under control

When you call Eliminate ‘Em, you’re guaranteed the best ant extermination services at the best price. Our technicians are standing by to rid your home of summer bugs today! Additionally, Eliminate ‘Em offers your family fast, reliable, and safe pest removal. You can call us 24/7 and expect: