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In article <363CBC51.734C@california.com>, rsgt@california.com wrote:

> Any words of wisdom on discouraging ants in the garden? I have them
> everywhere including my compost. My main concern with them is that they
> cultivate aphids which then ruin my plants.

I leave my ants alone.  I used to use Tanglefoot and make a big deal out of
discouraging ants, but no longer.  Now I just discourage them from the
inside of my house (disturb their trails over and over, clean up crumbs,
track and block entrance holes).

Ants are part of the ecosystem and really don't need getting rid of.  If
you garden organically and in healthy ways, your garden will settle down to
a nice balance.  If you're constantly killing things off (even if it's with
organic products) you will keep everything off balance.

Ants clean up debris.  Ants collect honeydew/pollen, therefore they help
pollinate your flowers.  Ants do herd aphids but aphids are overrated as a
pest, IMHO.  Aphids provide food for beneficial insects like ladybugs and
lacewings.  There are also some studies showing that aphids help spur on
growth (I was surprised too).  Aphids seem to be one of the first insects
to come back after spraying, so they can get out of control very very
quickly if you use anything but nature to control them.

If you have plants that are honestly suffering due to ants and you want to
control them a bit until nature takes its course, try Tanglefoot (a sticky
barrier).  In your house, you can use boric acid mixed with something sweet
or something fatty.  One organic catalog (Pleasant Valley, north of
Sacramento) gives their recipe away.  5% boric acid mixed with apple jelly
or peanut butter (they suggest testing first to see which the ants prefer).

But I really wouldn't worry about ants.  In moderation, I believe they do
more good than harm, despite their reputation as "undesirable."

Cyndi

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Oakland, California            Zone 9 USDA; Zone 16 Sunset Western Garden Guide
Disabled, chemically sensitive, wheelchair user          Organic Gardening only
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"There's nothing wrong with me.  Maybe there's                     Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG)         cnorman@consultclarity.com
                         Owner of the Immune Lists: http://www.best.com/~immune
_________________________________________________ http://www.consultclarity.com