Growing fruit in garden with lots of ants.

I planted cantaloupe, zucchini, basil, and tomato's. There are a lot of ants in my back yard. i was wondering if they will eat any of the things i am growing? If they will is there anything i could do about it? Thank you! ^-^

 

Years ago I had a lot of ant problems in sandy soil. My chickens seemed to get rid of the problem. These days the current batch are working on an unwanted weed. I suspect its their scratching around that did the trick. Not sure if thr ants will damage your crops in my case they were a pest because they came into the house. I think from memory they were Argentinian ants not native to this country. Native ants can bite but tend to stay away from cultivated areas.

Liz

 

Try these two links

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/keeping-ants-of-flowering-vines-vegetables-and-flowers.htm

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63572362.tip.html

You can buy high pitch noise plugins that only the ants can hear for the home heard yards away. Maybe set a couple up somehow in the garden from a power cable from the home.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the electronic ant deterrents only work indoors, when in a confined space.

 

Thank you so much! Very helpful and those are all very good things to know!!

 

Thank you liz! :) im not sure what ant's i have but i think they are eighter fire ants or carpenter...Oh the dirt here is kind of rocky so they must like dirt that isn't moist. Oh i could sure use some chickens! i have alot of chickweed growing by my flowers! lol

 

Two is all you need on a normal garden but NO rooster. Go for quiet friendly ones like Rhode Island reds. Possibly Bantams they will even roost in trees if it is not a cold wet area. You will need to provide a nesting feeding area and hopefully you dont have predators otherwise they will need a pen with a wire roof on it and the wall wire dug down into the soil when not supervised.

Liz

Liz

 

cats don't harm chickens do they? thanks for the information liz!! :)

 

No ants will not eat or damage your plants, but if you get any aphids the ants will "farm" them for their honeydew (excreatement) protecting them from their natural predators.

 

No cats are fine with chooks (chickens). My rooster sleeps in the sun with them. Chickens and bantams may be a target depends on yr cat.
Liz