How do you get rid of ants in the garden?

At first glance, ants seem harmless in the garden. But in reality, their small size makes it easy for them to get in everywhere, and they can become a nuisance because they ensure that aphids, which are very harmful to crops, multiply. To combat their presence, chemical pesticides are not recommended because they are harmful to plants, soil and human health. So it's much better to opt for natural, toxin-free solutions. This article takes you on a tour of the most effective ecological tips for keeping your vegetable garden free of invaders.

Removing aphids to keep ants away

One of the reasons ants can besiege your vegetable garden is the presence of aphids. In fact, ants turn them into veritable slaves so that they produce honeydew, a sweet substance they love. As you'll have realised, a simple solution to repelling ants is simply to get rid of the aphids.

Soapy water is an unstoppable solution. With a mixture of 20 cl of black soap and one litre of water, you'll get rid of it. This year, I had to treat an apple tree that was completely overrun with aphids with black soap. A few weeks later, its natural predator, the ladybird, invaded my apple tree. Coincidence or not, I don't know, but I was delighted to see these precious helpers arrive in my garden in such numbers.

Strong smells to repel ants from your garden

Ants hate strong smells. When their presence embarrasses you in an area of the garden, simply scatter garlic, basil, cinnamon sticks or powder or tomato leaves in their path. These repellents, placed around the invaded area, will keep the ants away from your vegetable garden without killing them. Mint, eucalyptus, thyme and walnut leaves can also scare ants away with their fragrance. Peppermint oil is also recommended for dislodging ants. Finally, essences with a strong scent that you can plant in your garden or vegetable patch include sage, and bay.

Eggshells and chalk, powerful natural ant repellents

Did you know that ants can't cross a line of chalk? So all you have to do is draw a line of chalk around the plants in your garden to keep these insects out. To keep ants out of your garden, chalk is a solution worth trying out, although it will obviously disappear at the first sign of rain. Another solution to try is eggshells. First grind them into powder and place them in the area to be protected. This is a powerful ant repellent that has the advantage of not polluting the environment.

Lemon and coffee grounds

In addition to its culinary interest, lemons have many virtues and properties that are used for home maintenance... but not only! To protect your vegetable garden from ants, simply arrange lemon slices at the entry points of these invaders. They won't tolerate the acidity of the lemon and will flee on their own. You can also sprinkle lemon water in their path.

Another natural repellent: coffee grounds. We often have the bad habit of throwing it in the bin after making a delicious cup, but it should always be saved. As well as being an excellent natural fertiliser to add to your vegetable garden, coffee grounds also repel ants. If you notice ants, find their path and put some coffee grounds on it. Its scent covers the pheromone traces left by the ants to find their way around. They will be disturbed and turn back.

For this trick to be effective, you need to moisten the pomace and spread a layer where the insects are. While you're waiting to spread it, you can store it in a dry container away from light to prevent it going mouldy.

Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is an ecological and natural insecticide. Diatoms are microscopic algae. Reduced to a powder or diluted in water, they'll help you scare ants away. Simply scatter the product around the plants or on the bark of fruit trees in your vegetable garden. You can also use a funnel to pour the powder into the mound created by the ants. The powder attaches itself to one ant, which passes it on to the others, and the whole population is affected in no time. Diatomaceous earth works quickly. However, it should not be applied when the weather is damp, as its effect will be lessened, if not eliminated.