| We have many ants in a section of our vegetable garden that are getting in & out of the vegetables. I read in your NGA Q & A an article referring to a "Tansy Herb". Would that safely help get rid of them & any other pests? Any suggestions would so greatly be appreciated asap!!! Thanks! |
| The ants you see may not be doing any harm themselves, but if you look more closely, you may see that they are hanging out with aphids, which are tiny insects that feed in masses on plant parts. They are sometimes called plant lice (this give you an idea as to their size!); they are small, oval insects that congregate on new growth. Some ants actually feed on the waste product of aphids, called honeydew, because it is very sweet. If you can control the primary problem--usually aphids--you might just control the ants as well. If you find aphids, you can control them by washing them off with water from the garden hose, or with insecticidal soap, being sure to follow the label instructions. Tansy (Tanacetum) is an old time herb plant said to repel ants and was thus grown by the door to keep them out of the house. This plant spreads rapidly and could become an invasive pest in the good soil of the vegetable garden, so if you want to grow it and see if it repels ants for you, consider trying it in a leaner, dryish soil in full sun. |
