How to get rid of ants in potted plants | Non-toxic

How to get rid of ants in potted plants

Ants streaming in and out of a potted plant usually means one of two things: the soil has gone dry enough to nest in or aphids on the plant are feeding the ants with honeydew. Either way you can clear them out without harsh chemicals that hurt the plant or linger where your family and pets are.

Why ants move into pots

Ants nest in the loose, dry soil of a pot because it is warm, protected and undisturbed. Often they are also farming aphids or scale on the plant for the sweet honeydew those pests produce, which means the ants are a sign of a second problem. Treat the plant and the soil together and deal with the aphids. Do that and you remove both the food source and the nest. (More on the how and why: How to get rid of aphids on indoor plants and How to get rid of ants in the house.)

The plant-safe fix

Doom and Bloom is our plant and garden insect spray, fast-acting and made to use on and around plants, so it clears the ants and the aphids feeding them without damaging foliage. For the soil surface and the pot base, puff Dust to Dust with the Insect Buster to stop ants moving in and out. Repeat after watering, since moisture reduces the powder’s effect.

Reclaim your pots

• Spray the plant: treat foliage and stems with Doom and Bloom to clear ants and aphids.
• Dust the soil surface: puff Dust to Dust on top of the soil and around the drainage holes.
• Drench if nesting: if a colony has moved in, submerge the pot in water for about 15 minutes to drive them out, then let it drain fully.
• Reapply after watering: refresh Dust to Dust once the surface is dry again.

Related: Non-toxic ants control and How to get rid of ants.

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