How to Get Rid of Ants in the Garden Naturally

Ants are one of those insects that most people just can't stand. Although they do have their good points--and some do a lot of good for your garden--there are some species of ants which are dangerous, and these are the ones you don't want to keep. Fire ants, in particular, can cause a good deal of pain with their toxic bites. Other species of ants, such as carpenter ants, can cause damage to structures, so you don't want them hanging around either. Don't worry, though--there are several natural ways to get rid of these pesky insects that may be living in your garden. Read on to learn how to get rid of ants in the garden naturally.

Things You'll Need

  • Vinegar
  • Water
  • Black pepper
  • Baby powder
  • Chalk
  • Honey
  • Corn meal
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Instructions

    • 1

      Try a vinegar spray. Mix three parts vinegar with one part warm water, and spray around the perimeter of the garden. If you know where the ant hill is, you can spray the mound directly.

    • 2

      Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper in your garden around your plants. Ants won't cross it, and it doesn’t cause any harm to you plants.

    • 3

      Grind up some chalk, and sprinkle it around the garden. Ants will stay away. If they're already in the garden, use the vinegar and water mixture spray, and once they've gone, use the chalk to keep them out.

    • 4

      Shake out a line of baby powder around the garden. For some reason, ants don't seem to like the smell, and won't go near any part of the garden that has a baby powder smell.

    • 5

      Find the ant hill, and pour corn meal on top of it. Ants will eat the corn meal, but they can't digest it, so they will die. If you hate the idea of killing ants, put a jar of honey in a tree near your garden. The ants will relocate so they can be near the honey, and it will keep them--and you--happy all summer long.