Ants in Earthbox

KarenD · May 3, 2020

I am hoping someone can help me. I am trying to get my earth boxes ready for planting. I was planning on replacing the dolomite, fertilizer strip and adding some new potting mix. I found a ton of ants in several of the boxes. Is there any way to get rid of them or do I need to dump everything and start over with new medium?

GoDawgs · May 3, 2020

This is what I do to get rid of fire ants in my beds and in the yard. I don't think you have those that far north (at least I HOPE not!) but this should work on any ants.

Take a gallon jug of water and add 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap. Tilt the jug back and forth to mix. Slowly pour the whole thing on the ant hill right down the middle where they come out. Hold the jug chest high so it really pounds down in there. It will not harm your soil or any plants growing there as most all dish soaps these days are phosphate free.

The reason it works is that ants have a kind of waxy coating on them. That's what allows rafts of fire ants to float along on top of the water in flooded areas. The soap negates that waxy coating and so they can't float to the top. They drown.

This has worked for me for ages. Sometimes if the ant mound is big it might take two jugs. Try one jug and see if any ants start rebuilding. If they do, treat again.

I first used this when I started making raised beds and a fire ant hill popped up right next to a row of beans. I mentioned it to the folks at the feed & seed and they told me about the soap trick. I poured it right down the hill hole next to the bean plants and the plants suffered no damage whatsoever. The F&S folks said it had to be green Dawn but soap is basically soap as far as dealing with that waxy coating so I save money and use the Sam's brand pink dishwashing liquid.

KarenD · May 16, 2020

Thank you so much!

Jeannine Anne · May 16, 2020

Borax ans sugar mix, with water. They eat the mixture as it is sweet and die from the borax.

Scattering cornmeal around too, they eat it, carry it back to the nests, they can't digest it, it swells, they pop. grhhh but it works.

May 3, 2020	#1
KarenD Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NJ Posts: 95	Ants in Earthbox I am hoping someone can help me. I am trying to get my earth boxes ready for planting. I was planning on replacing the dolomite, fertilizer strip and adding some new potting mix. I found a ton of ants in several of the boxes. Is there any way to get rid of them or do I need to dump everything and start over with new medium?

May 3, 2020	#2
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	This is what I do to get rid of fire ants in my beds and in the yard. I don't think you have those that far north (at least I HOPE not!) but this should work on any ants. Take a gallon jug of water and add 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap. Tilt the jug back and forth to mix. Slowly pour the whole thing on the ant hill right down the middle where they come out. Hold the jug chest high so it really pounds down in there. It will not harm your soil or any plants growing there as most all dish soaps these days are phosphate free. The reason it works is that ants have a kind of waxy coating on them. That's what allows rafts of fire ants to float along on top of the water in flooded areas. The soap negates that waxy coating and so they can't float to the top. They drown. This has worked for me for ages. Sometimes if the ant mound is big it might take two jugs. Try one jug and see if any ants start rebuilding. If they do, treat again. I first used this when I started making raised beds and a fire ant hill popped up right next to a row of beans. I mentioned it to the folks at the feed & seed and they told me about the soap trick. I poured it right down the hill hole next to the bean plants and the plants suffered no damage whatsoever. The F&S folks said it had to be green Dawn but soap is basically soap as far as dealing with that waxy coating so I save money and use the Sam's brand pink dishwashing liquid.

May 16, 2020	#3
KarenD Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NJ Posts: 95	Thank you so much!

May 16, 2020	#4
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	Borax ans sugar mix, with water. They eat the mixture as it is sweet and die from the borax. Scattering cornmeal around too, they eat it, carry it back to the nests, they can't digest it, it swells, they pop. grhhh but it works.