ants in the bed - General Gardening - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

dubwise · 04-01-2009, 02:15 PM

Anybody have a good way to remove ants from a raised bed w/o harming my watermelon seedlings?

Hydro-Soil · 04-01-2009, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubwise

Anybody have a good way to remove ants from a raised bed w/o harming my watermelon seedlings?

Get some diatomaceous earth and sprinkle it in a 2" strip around the edge of the bed? Don't let your pets 'snuffle' it though.

If you can find the ant hill, put about an ounce around the hole.

You can find it at pool supply houses and some nurseries.

Python · 04-01-2009, 06:12 PM

Must be a lot of ants because I wouldn't think they would harm the plants?

and since it is a raised bed.......the soil is nice and soft so you can easily remove the seedling, put em in a planter, and then fix any problems if you like..........

dubwise · 04-01-2009, 09:35 PM

Thanks for the info! I will be picking up some of the diatomaceous soil this evening or tomorrow morning and give it a try. The bed is for my watermelons and I've only got 6 seeds started in there now, but plan on moving 4 more that I've had vegging indoors for the past few weeks.
The bed was constructed and some nice top soil was added to the bottom 1/2. The top 1/2 I added MG garden soil. I was going to put some perlite in there when I noticed the ants.
Thanks again!

Python · 04-02-2009, 01:28 AM

my beds are 2 feet tall 4 X8'......with a yard of beautiful soil...........putting soil and the top or bottom really shouldn't matter as it will get mixed in over time............Something i did to one bed: i put most of a 4 cu. ft. bag of perlite which is a huge bag...........i put some bone/blood meal etc in there early along with a some peat.....i also put a couple bag of verm into the bed as well --- why not ----- then some great compost --- mix it all around with a fork, here and there ---- and its just nice! nothing like being able to easily put your hand through the soil to the original ground

Pyth

dubwise · 04-02-2009, 02:38 AM

Python-do you rotate the crop in the bed or do you keep growing the same things in there? i had heard or read somewhere that the crop of the bed should be changed out every year or grow season....this year watermelon, next year cantelope.
I think I will add the perlite as well.

04-02-2009, 02:46 AM

Ants hate cayenne pepper

Python · 04-02-2009, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubwise

Python-do you rotate the crop in the bed or do you keep growing the same things in there? i had heard or read somewhere that the crop of the bed should be changed out every year or grow season....this year watermelon, next year cantelope.
I think I will add the perlite as well.

Well to tell you the truth, things change as far as what i grow..........so i guess variation happens naturally ----- obviously at the start of frost etc ---- all plant matter is removed by hand and the bed is raked clean with a garden rake (this is also a good time to mix in some nutes etc for the next season) I turn my soil here and there throughout the winter and fall and early spring so i do not think switching things around really matters --- i mean we arent the indians growing corn on the same plot of land for years ----- we add nutes etc, so there are never really any deficiencies

One thing I don't really do is grow watermelons in the beds ---- or like the mrs' wants.....pumpkins: In short, they take up too much space in the bed and a watermelon is 3 bucks--- you know? I like to micromanage my raised beds growing lots of herbs, hot peppers--specially habs, bell peppers, cucumbers, flowers, onions, radishes, carrots, even potatoes, lettuce, garlic, tomatoes in the yard since they are hardy LOL, celery, and so on......and on....

Ohh ya......dont forget mushrooms!!!

Really IMO, just think about the trade-off value of the space you use, specially if you only have 1 bed......

Have fun......

PS: you can attach some pvc pipe (4 piece) on the inside of the sides (2 each side) ----- then put a smaller diameter pipe into one and bend it over to the other side and insert it ------ you will get an arch suitable for cloth row covers which will lengthen the growing season and keep bugs away -- if interested!--- I have it --- don't really use it, but i have it....

pyth

beek · 04-02-2009, 03:11 AM

Cinnamon works. Just spice the raised beds a little and ants will be gone.
Keep in mind that rain and time will make cinnamon obsolete and ants will be back. Cinnamon is safe for plants and for useful insects. We can say it is organic.

dubwise · 04-02-2009, 03:32 AM

Hal & Beek- I'll have to try those as well. We have a huge ant problem down here. That's what turned me to hydro/indoor growing to start with. Last year we used Cay Peppers outside and had NO problems with rabbits which tend to be problematic 'round here. I did not know that it would help against ants.
Python- thanks for the tips! This bed is the first, we started building a second one this afternoon, and I've got some old (OLD) cast iron tubs we use to use to water horses out in the field with...We'll be using them as well. The watermelon bed was a prototype, and I'm real happy with it, so we're doing more. We do tomatoes and peppers inside and we're finally getting some decent things together. Indoors we run 1000w hps for a 4' E&F table and an 8 pack waterfarm kit.

04-01-2009, 02:15 PM	#1
dubwise in the thick of it Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: deep dark jungle Posts: 3,002	ants in the bed Anybody have a good way to remove ants from a raised bed w/o harming my watermelon seedlings?
	Quote

04-02-2009, 02:46 AM	#7
Hal Guest Posts: n/a	Ants hate cayenne pepper Last edited by Hal; 04-02-2009 at 06:26 AM.. Reason: hat to hate
	Quote

04-01-2009, 06:12 PM	#3
Python Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 30	Must be a lot of ants because I wouldn't think they would harm the plants? and since it is a raised bed.......the soil is nice and soft so you can easily remove the seedling, put em in a planter, and then fix any problems if you like..........
	Quote

04-01-2009, 09:35 PM	#4
dubwise in the thick of it Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: deep dark jungle Posts: 3,002	Thanks for the info! I will be picking up some of the diatomaceous soil this evening or tomorrow morning and give it a try. The bed is for my watermelons and I've only got 6 seeds started in there now, but plan on moving 4 more that I've had vegging indoors for the past few weeks. The bed was constructed and some nice top soil was added to the bottom 1/2. The top 1/2 I added MG garden soil. I was going to put some perlite in there when I noticed the ants. Thanks again!
	Quote

04-02-2009, 01:28 AM	#5
Python Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 30	my beds are 2 feet tall 4 X8'......with a yard of beautiful soil...........putting soil and the top or bottom really shouldn't matter as it will get mixed in over time............Something i did to one bed: i put most of a 4 cu. ft. bag of perlite which is a huge bag...........i put some bone/blood meal etc in there early along with a some peat.....i also put a couple bag of verm into the bed as well --- why not ----- then some great compost --- mix it all around with a fork, here and there ---- and its just nice! nothing like being able to easily put your hand through the soil to the original ground Pyth
	Quote

04-02-2009, 02:38 AM	#6
dubwise in the thick of it Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: deep dark jungle Posts: 3,002	Python-do you rotate the crop in the bed or do you keep growing the same things in there? i had heard or read somewhere that the crop of the bed should be changed out every year or grow season....this year watermelon, next year cantelope. I think I will add the perlite as well.
	Quote

04-02-2009, 03:11 AM	#9
beek Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 116	Cinnamon works. Just spice the raised beds a little and ants will be gone. Keep in mind that rain and time will make cinnamon obsolete and ants will be back. Cinnamon is safe for plants and for useful insects. We can say it is organic.
	Quote

04-02-2009, 03:32 AM	#10
dubwise in the thick of it Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: deep dark jungle Posts: 3,002	Hal & Beek- I'll have to try those as well. We have a huge ant problem down here. That's what turned me to hydro/indoor growing to start with. Last year we used Cay Peppers outside and had NO problems with rabbits which tend to be problematic 'round here. I did not know that it would help against ants. Python- thanks for the tips! This bed is the first, we started building a second one this afternoon, and I've got some old (OLD) cast iron tubs we use to use to water horses out in the field with...We'll be using them as well. The watermelon bed was a prototype, and I'm real happy with it, so we're doing more. We do tomatoes and peppers inside and we're finally getting some decent things together. Indoors we run 1000w hps for a 4' E&F table and an 8 pack waterfarm kit.
	Quote