Ant Attack

[PBGardener]

Hello People...

Second Installment of the Seed Saga!

So i started my seed planting campaign...luckily with just a few seeds...on the third day post seed planting i discovered an ant attack!

They have burrowed into the pots and there are mounds of little dug up earth...! I think it may be coz i used Coco Peat.

But in any case..whatever the reason...can anyone please tell me how to save my seeds from the ant attack... (Dont wanna use chemicals!)

Thank you in advance

PB

[Johara]

Hello PB,

Mirafzalkhan has already posted a solution to your problem which I am pasting below.

Soap Spry
Mix two table spoon dishwashing liquid and one table spoon cooking oil in one gallon (4.5 liter) water.
Effective on aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and thrips. Soap spray is not a preventative. It acts on contact, which means that it must touch the insect pest in order to be effective.

Garlic Spray
Blend one whole garlic bulb and mix with one gallon of water.
Allow the mixture to stand for 24 hours.
Strain the mixture.
Add one tablespoon of cooking oil.
Used for aphids, snails, chewing caterpillars or any soft-bodied insects.
Note: Garlic spray is an excellent mosquito repellant, spraying on plants & ponds will surely repel mosquitoes.

Fungicide Spray
One table spoon potassium carbonate (if not available use common baking soda)
One table spoon dishwashing liquid
One table spoon cooking oil.
One gallon water
Mix all ingredients & spray.
Control Powdery Mildew & other fungus.

Ant Killer
Ants themselves don't do much damage to your plants; however they protect and farm herds of aphids, cottony scales, Mealybugs, soft-type scales, and whiteflies. Ants save the eggs of these insects in their nests over the winter and bring them out in the spring. These insects produce honeydew while feeding on your plants which the ants just love.
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 TBS Boric Acid
Mix and place in small saucers around the home & garden.

Insecticide
Sprinkle a very thin layer of Boric acid (available at medical stores) around plants. It will eliminate Cockroaches, Ants and Termites.

Cinnamon as an anti-fungal
Cinnamon has excellent anti-fungal properties. New seedlings are often subject to “damping off,” a fungal condition brought on by excessive dampness. One unique and inexpensive way you can prevent this is by dusting the top of the potting mix with powdered cinnamon. It won’t stop the disease if it’s already taken hold, but it’ll keep it from taking hold in the first place. Putting over an area where the plant is cut after pruning will prevent fungal infection.

Good spray coverage is essential for good results. Spray it directly onto the insects when they are first sighted on buds, shoots, stems, bark and the underside of leaves. Make sure to wet both sides of the leaves and growing points of the plants.
Organic pesticides should be applied weekly for 3 to 4 weeks, and it can be used up to the day of harvest.
Don’t use in full sun or high temperatures, the best time to apply any pesticide is evening.
Spray a small amount first to make sure your plants are OK before a full-scale application is made.

[PBGardener]

Thank you Johara.

Pardon for me for my ignorance.

But as i understand all of these remedies would be applicable once the seedlings have sprouted or for actual plants. What do i do when i have just planted the seeds?

I suppose one thing i could try is the powdered cinnamon.

Thank you once again.

[mirafzalkhan]

I suppose one thing i could try is the powdered cinnamon.

Cinnamon is anti-fungal and have no effect on ants, you can used boric acid on ants. Sprinkle Boric acid just like a dust on your soil & around the pot. Boric acid (powder) is easily available from medical stores used for eye wash.

[Izhar]

Re-posting:

A simple procedure which worked for my pots, just place you pots on trays (plastic or clay) and fill the tray with water. To ensure the water don't travel up in the pot, place small pieces of ceramic tiles, plastic, wood etc beneath the bottom of the pot so ...

[PBGardener]

thank you sirs..advice most appreciated...will try it out...and post the results..

[PBGardener]

Hello All.

Thank you Izhar for the effective yet simple advice. It saved this seasons planting

And resulted in sprouting of hollyhocks, aubergine bonica, chilli numex, tomato gardeners delight, mixed salad leaves and baby lettuce, coriander to name but a few.

And also a few straggling Petunias, Pansies, Stocks and Impatiens!!!

A very happy Garderner am I!!!

Thank you all for your wonderful support and advice.