Ants are one of the most common bugs in and around your home, so it’s not a surprise that they get into your plants in pots. They come seeking food, water, and shelter and, if the conditions are right, they may decide to stay. Lets find out more about these annoying insects and how to get rid of ants in pots.
It’s frustrating when you head out to care for your container plants only to find ants crawling all over them. While ants don’t directly harm most plants, their presence is annoying and can indicate underlying issues. Getting ants out of your flower pots takes some persistence, but is very doable with the right techniques.
Why Are Ants Invading Your Flower Pots?
Ants are attracted to flower pots for a few key reasons
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Moisture The soil in containers stays consistently damp which ants need for nesting and getting water.
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Food: Ants feed on the sugary sap of aphids or find dropped bits of fertilizer.
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Shelter: The soil provides a perfect nesting spot protected from weather and predators.
Keeping your pots free of ants means addressing these attractions. Proper watering, pest control, and sanitation will help make containers less welcoming long-term.
Effective Ways to Get Rid of Ants in Pots
When you discover an ant colony has moved into your plant containers, taking quick action using these methods can get rid of them:
Dish Soap Drench
Mix a few drops of dish soap into a bucket of water. Submerge the entire pot in this soapy solution for 15 minutes. The soap disrupts the waxy coating on ants’ exoskeletons, causing them to drown. Rinse the pot well afterwards.
Insecticidal Dusts
Apply a light dusting of diatomaceous earth or insecticidal silica gel on the soil surface. These abrasive dusts damage ants’ bodies on contact, causing dehydration. Reapply after watering.
Insecticidal Drenches
Water your plants with a dilute insecticidal soap or neem oil solution. This coats the soil to deter ants from nesting and contaminates their colony.
Ant Traps and Baits
Use ant baits or traps around the perimeter of your containers to attract foraging worker ants. The bait poisons are taken back to the colony and queen. Look for borax or boric acid-based products.
Remove Ant Shelters
Eliminate boards, rocks, or other debris around pots that ants could be using as nesting sites or shelters. Keep the area around your containers clear.
Keep Soil Dry
Allow the soil surface to dry out more between waterings. Ants need moisture, so drier soil deters them from colonizing.
Preventing Ants from Returning to Flower Pots
Getting rid of existing ants is the first step, but keeping them out long-term requires modifying conditions to make containers less appealing:
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Avoid overwatering so soil doesn’t stay soggy.
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Eliminate aphids and other sap-sucking pests ants might feed on.
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Clean up fertilizer spills promptly so ants aren’t attracted.
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Use sticky traps to monitor for ants and catch scout ants before they settle.
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Sprinkle a perimeter of diatomaceous earth around pots.
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Repot plants in fresh sterile potting mix annually to disrupt nests.
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Consider containers with built-in pest deterrents like copper foil.
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Use pot feet to elevate pots off the ground so ants have limited access.
With persistence and prevention, you can successfully get rid of ants and keep them from returning to take over your flower pots again!
Frequently Asked Questions About Ants in Flower Pots
What home remedies get rid of ants in pots?
Effective homemade remedies to kill ants in pots include dish soap drenches, diatomaceous earth dusts, insecticidal soap sprays, and vinegar solutions.
What scent repels ants from pots?
Strong scents like peppermint, cinnamon, citrus, and cloves can deter ants from settling in pots. Place open vials of these oils around your containers.
Should I repot plants if ants keep coming back?
Repotting into fresh sterile soil removes ant nesting sites. Combine with other prevention methods to stop reinfestations.
Do ants harm my container plants?
While ants don’t directly damage most plants, their presence can indicate pests like aphids or overwatering issues that could cause plant damage.
What plants repel ants naturally?
Some plants like mint, tansy, catnip, garlic, and chives naturally repel ants with their strong scent. Interplant these around containers.
Will ants infest potted plants indoors?
Yes, ants can find their way into pots kept indoors on porches or patios. Sticky traps around entry points helps catch scout ants before this happens.
Don’t let pesky ants spoil your container gardening. With persistent treatment and prevention, you can get rid of ants in your flower pots for good.
Ants in Plant Containers
If you find ants in your potting soil, it could be because of honeydew-making bugs like aphids, soft scales, mealybugs, and whiteflies. Honeydew is a sweet, sticky substance that bugs make as they eat. Ants think it looks like a feast. In fact, they will do a lot to keep honeydew-making bugs safe from predators so they always have this tasty food on hand. Get rid of the bugs that make honeydew before you kill the ants in the containers. This will keep the ants from coming back. If you catch infestations of these insects early, you can treat them with insecticidal soap. Spray the whole plant, and make sure to hit the undersides of the leaves where they like to hide and lay their eggs. It may take more than one treatment to get them under control. The way you care for your plants can also be a source of ant problems. You may see ants in flower pots when youve been using home remedies that include sugar or honey. Pick up leaves that fall onto the potting soil and provide a cozy hiding place for ants.
How to Get Rid of Ants in Pots
If you find ants in your houseplants, you should take them outside right away so the ants don’t move in. You can get concentrated insecticidal soap at any garden supply store and a bucket or tub that is bigger and deeper than your flower pot to get rid of the ants that are nesting in your plants. Here is a simple procedure that will eliminate the ants once and for all:
- Place the plant container inside a bucket or tub.
- One or two tablespoons of insecticide soap mixed with one quart of water will make a solution.
- Put enough solution in the bucket or tub so that it just touches the soil on top.
- Let the plant soak for 20 minutes.