dying ....from ants ?

[AceStone]

I got a few growing here in drought ridden hellhole texas. i have to water them every day. they are a nice 6-8 feet tall. but my problem is yesterday, one of my girls started to look what i thought was underwatered. drooping leaves. shriveled.

I watered extra, and today she looks worst. the others look great....
I look at the stem where it goes into the soil, and there are a bunch of ants. and it looks like they are even down into the root area.

Are they killing my plant?

what do i do?

gl

 

[pekelo44]

try using a water flood the ants will move to another spot way they just like being little bugs they actually create oxygen to the roots but can damage your grow. Then use a cedar wood chips it might drive the little critters away I have never tried that just the flood system and they did move they crushed my heart this season by doing what they do and my peach tree was not giving me nothing but bad fruit. I hope this works out for you.

 

[tristynhawk]

Yes they are i have had this happen, they will destroy her. I have had good results spraying the ground and especially the stalk area with a bug killer. I have alway's used seven Dust or spray. It's just the brand i have come to rely on. The one that is wilted is probably lost to you though.

 

[greenmatter]

try boric acid...... ants hate that shit! and its organic! get some 20 Mule Team Borax mix a couple teaspoons per gallon and water it in around your plants. if you can find the nest(s)go for a tablespoon or more per gallon and pour that stuff right down the front door. i have read that molasses will destroy an ant colony too (feeds soil microbes and they set off an ant "plague") but i have never tried it. good luck!

 

[AceStone]

i actually have some diatamecious earth... i will try sprinkling that around it.

it looks pretty bad, i may lose her. 7 foot beauty

gl

 

[festivus]

If you've got ants, it may be that they're feeding on pests in your roots. Black fungus gnats will effect the bottom-most leaf sets, yellowing and drooping. Just a thought