Getting rid of ants can be tricky, but there are several effective ways to deal with these pests so they stop hanging around your garden permanently. There are some great ways to avoid pesticides through natural plantings and creative gardening.

When it comes to damaging garden pests, ants are pretty low down on the list. They don't eat or destroy plants and can help improve soil quality by breaking down organic matter. But that doesn't necessarily mean you want ants in your flower beds. Their unsightly hills can mar the look of your garden, and some species are known to protect plant-damaging aphids because they feed on the sticky-sweet honeydew that aphids produce.

If you have small children and pets or just aren't comfortable using chemicals, you can control the ant population in your garden naturally. One of the easiest ways is to incorporate bug-repellent plants in your flower beds so ants aren't tempted to visit at all.

Plant Bug-Repellent Plants

Here are some great plants to have in your garden to naturally repel ants for best ant control

Mint
Mint is known to be a natural repellent of ants. The fragrant aroma of mint that invites us to use it for garnish and for flavoring is the very ingredient that ants despise. When mint is planted it must be placed in an area that can be maintained frequently as it grows fast and tall. Mint is an invasive species and will take over the area it is planted in if it is not pruned. Mint can also be pulled and placed in door jams to keep ants from coming into the house. Mint is a perennial so it does not need to be replanted year after year.

Lavendar
Lavendar is a sweet smelling garden herb that looks as beautiful as it smells. The purple flowers that bloom produce a strong scent that will also repel ants. English lavender is the most hardy of the lavender perennial species that can withstand cold winters. When the growing season comes to an end in the fall cut the lavendar near the roots and hang it until it dries. Add the dried lavender to sachet bags or add other dried herbs to make potpourri.

Lemongrass
Lemongrass is an herb that gives off a strong lemon scent. It will repel both mosquitoes and ants. This can be a more challenging plant to grow. It is best to locate a large lemongrass plant and take a clipping to grow (root) in water as it will take far less time than growing it from seeds. Lemon grass is perennial in warmer climates. It will grow wide and tall in an open garden and also grows well in large pots. this is a great overall bug repelling plant.

Rosemary
Rosemary is an amazing herb to cook with and can even grow large enough to be an ornamental. This woody perennial herb will be happy in the garden or in pots. Decoratively trimmed rosemary makes a nice entrance plant and will keep ants away as a bonus. If rosemary is allowed to flourish it can grow as tall ad six feet tall! Rosemary has a wonderful aroma to it and it will do well in sachet bags with your lavender!

Make Sweet Traps

Another natural way to get rid of ants from your flower beds is to surround them with sticky traps made from items in your kitchen. Ants are attracted to anything sweet, so fill several glass jars with honey, maple syrup or a sugar syrup made from 1 part sugar to 1 part water and place them around your flower beds. The ants will be attracted to the sugary sweet liquids, crawl into the jars and drown. You'll need to throw away the contents of the trap and refill them weekly if the problem persists.

Go to main page Ant Control Auckland for more information and assistance on the control