Does the borax eliminate all plant material? I have wooly thyme and mother
of thyme as well as mosses on my nature stone patio next to my pond. The
other place I could put it wouldn't be right next to plants, but if
rainwater dilutes it it could run into a garden bed. Should I not use the
borax if I am worried about my plant material?
"Jeff" <jcking@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:46c3ad16$0$4058$9a566e8b@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> I use laundry borax on my natural stone patio to control ants and weeds
and
> I am pleased with the results. It doesn't eliminate all ants and all
weeds
> but it definitely helps.
>
> "cloud dreamer" <Stop@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:13c76smoduvj36c@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >P Crocker wrote:
> >> Hello all from Nova Scotia. I'm hoping someone may have some info to
> >> help
> >> me. I have a huge ant problem in my yard. In our back yard we have
no
> >> grass, a pond surrounded by pea gravel pathways and stone, along with
> >> concrete pathways with bricks bordering perennial beds. Our yard
isn't
> >> really very big, approx 30 x 30. In recent years we've had huge
numbers
> >> of
> >> ants (I think a lot of people have had) and I've always had aphids in
my
> >> plum tree. This year however I've noticed aphids on my 3 clematises
and
> >> on
> >> a shrub in the front yard. I've never had before or heard of aphids
on
> >> clematises. I'm wondering if the huge number of ants have something
to
> >> do
> >> with my increasing aphid population. My husband says ants "farm"
aphids,
> >> I
> >> think he means they sort of herd them 'cause the ants like the sticky
> >> stuff
> >> the aphids excrete after sucking the good out of a plant. Anyone
know
> >> anything about this? I use soapy water to combat aphids which does
kill
> >> them, but often the damage is done. I know of nothing that will kill
> >> large
> >> amounts of ants. I know of the store bought and even home remedies
but
> >> they
> >> are difficult to apply to an entire yard.
> >>
> >> Any suggestions?
> >
> >
> > Your husband is correct. The ants feed off the aphids sweet excretions
and
> > will go as far as to protect the aphid eggs over the winter.
> >
> > The soap is the best solution for the aphids, but as long as the ants
are
> > such a problem, so will be the aphids. The best solution for the ants
if
> > you have access to their nests is to simply make the area unlivable
for
> > them. Ants don't like a lot of water. If you continuously soak the
nest,
> > the ants will eventually move on...probably shack up with the
neighbour.
> > You can also rake the top of the nest...keep both up and they'll get
fed
> > up.
> >
> > There are other alternatives. Half and half sugar/baking soda
> > combination - the sugar attracts them and they bring it home while the
> > baking soda causes them to explode. There's also borax - I've never
used
> > it but some suggest it. I've never had much luck with commercial
anti-ant
> > stuff.
> >
> > You could experiment with ways to keep the ants away from plants as
well.
> > In my case, they went after my green peppers which were in 30L plastic
> > pails. I relocated some of them and the aphids didn't return after I
> > removed them. For some of the others, I wrapped some tape sticky side
out
> > around the pail and made sure the leaves didn't hang below the tape or
> > against something the ants could use as a bridge. It seemed to help
but
I
> > didn't get a second chance to experiment...I didn't bother with green
> > peppers again. This idea might help with the tree, but I'm not sure
what
> > you can do about the shrubs. Others here might have more suggestions.
> >
> > :)
> >
> > --
> >
> > We must change the way we live,
> > or the climate will do it for us.
>
>
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