Small black ants a problem for tomatoes?

WilburMartin · April 24, 2017

I have a half barrel I was planning on planting two sungold plants into. I discovered while working in the dirt that those tiny black ants have taken up residence in the container.

Should I get some ant killer and do away with them, or are they not a danger to vegetable roots?

dmforcier · April 24, 2017

No. Not at all. I encourage them in hopes that they give things like aphids et al. a hard time.

AlittleSalt · April 24, 2017

I have fireants in the garden that don't seem to bother the tomato plants - however they will get on okra plants. I also have a tomato plant planted in a pot full of fireants. So far so good.

dmforcier · April 24, 2017

There's nothing good about fire ants. Though AFAIK they don't hurt the plants.

Worth1 · April 25, 2017

The problem with fire ants is they will take over the place.
Worth

ginger2778 · April 25, 2017

Some varieties of black ants herd, that is bring the aphids to eat the nectar/sap the aphids draw out of the plant. Aphids are sloppy eaters. Thus video is fascinating, actually shows ants protecting the aphids from ladybugs.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Ants...FOae0gLlga_YBg

tarheelchick · April 25, 2017

question....so if you have a lot of small black ants running around on your plants, is that a pretty good signal that you have an aphids problem? or nay?

Worth1 · April 25, 2017

It very well could become a problem.
Worth

ginger2778 · April 25, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarheelchick

question....so if you have a lot of small black ants running around on your plants, is that a pretty good signal that you have an aphids problem? or nay?

Not always, but yes often. Especially with cucurbits.

dmforcier · April 25, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarheelchick

question....so if you have a lot of small black ants running around on your plants, is that a pretty good signal that you have an aphids problem? or nay?

Contrary to ginger, I would say possible but rare. In fact, I've never encountered ranching ants. Easy enough to check, though. Do you have aphids?

tarheelchick · April 25, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Contrary to ginger, I would say possible but rare. In fact, I've never encountered ranching ants. Easy enough to check, though. Do you have aphids?

I haven't even planted my garden yet this year, but I was thinking back on last year and I remember having a lot of little black ants running up and down my butter bean vines. I never could see any aphids, but I'm a newbie and might not even know what I'm looking for

Rockporter · April 25, 2017

I just put amdro down outside my entire garden area to take out the fire ants that have taken up home there. I was weeding by the tomatoes yesterday and was bit all over my foot. So, amdro came out and I put it on their nest and all around my garden. Since I garden in containers there is no problem putting down the bait around the containers.

AlittleSalt · April 25, 2017

I'm going with Amdro too. I just mowed today, and found we have them worse than I had thought. I can't have our grandchildren out there playing around them.

Even though I'm still curious as what would happen with the tomato plant in the pot of fireants - it's getting Amdro too.

Worth1 · April 26, 2017

It is also mating season.
Worth

gorbelly · April 29, 2017

The worst I've seen ants do is

1) carry away small seeds like lettuce seeds, etc. when I'm sowing in place

2) hog squash flowers so that there's less nectar in them for the bees and other pollinators

I've never had damage on my plants from ants. I've seen them feeding off of aphid honeydew on sunflowers and lilies. But I'm not sure whether they were "farming" them or just taking advantage of what was there. I have very few problems with aphids lately, though, since I started planting flowers specifically to nurture and attract aphid predators.

April 24, 2017	#1
WilburMartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Mississippi Posts: 169	Small black ants a problem for tomatoes? I have a half barrel I was planning on planting two sungold plants into. I discovered while working in the dirt that those tiny black ants have taken up residence in the container. Should I get some ant killer and do away with them, or are they not a danger to vegetable roots? __________________ "Ain't nothin' in the world that I like better than bacon and lettuce, and home-grown tomatoes." - Guy Clark (RIP), "Home-Grown Tomatoes"

April 24, 2017	#2
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	No. Not at all. I encourage them in hopes that they give things like aphids et al. a hard time. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

April 24, 2017	#4
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	There's nothing good about fire ants. Though AFAIK they don't hurt the plants. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

April 25, 2017	#12
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I just put amdro down outside my entire garden area to take out the fire ants that have taken up home there. I was weeding by the tomatoes yesterday and was bit all over my foot. So, amdro came out and I put it on their nest and all around my garden. Since I garden in containers there is no problem putting down the bait around the containers. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

April 24, 2017	#3
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I have fireants in the garden that don't seem to bother the tomato plants - however they will get on okra plants. I also have a tomato plant planted in a pot full of fireants. So far so good.

April 25, 2017	#5
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The problem with fire ants is they will take over the place. Worth

April 25, 2017	#6
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Some varieties of black ants herd, that is bring the aphids to eat the nectar/sap the aphids draw out of the plant. Aphids are sloppy eaters. Thus video is fascinating, actually shows ants protecting the aphids from ladybugs. https://www.google.com/search?q=Ants...FOae0gLlga_YBg

April 25, 2017	#7
tarheelchick Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: NC Posts: 97	question....so if you have a lot of small black ants running around on your plants, is that a pretty good signal that you have an aphids problem? or nay?

April 26, 2017	#14
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	It is also mating season. Worth

April 29, 2017	#15
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	The worst I've seen ants do is 1) carry away small seeds like lettuce seeds, etc. when I'm sowing in place 2) hog squash flowers so that there's less nectar in them for the bees and other pollinators I've never had damage on my plants from ants. I've seen them feeding off of aphid honeydew on sunflowers and lilies. But I'm not sure whether they were "farming" them or just taking advantage of what was there. I have very few problems with aphids lately, though, since I started planting flowers specifically to nurture and attract aphid predators.