How to Kill Ants in Plant Roots

Ants are usually harmless to plants, but some ants, like pavement ants and cornfield ants, will injure them. If you notice that your plants are beginning to wither and you see ants surrounding your plants or going in and out of the dirt near its base, perhaps it is the ants that are causing the problem. Fortunately, there are several methods that can kill the ants in your plant roots and if one method does not work well for you, try another.

Kill Ants In Plant Roots

Ants provide plenty of benefits in yards and gardens, but when they get among plant roots, they can cause problems. In fact, most species of ants aren't interested in plant roots as food, but their presence is a sign that the soil is dry and low in humus, which is decaying plant material and other organic matter. Ants rarely destroy garden plants, though in turfgrass, they can build large anthills that kill patches of grass. On the other hand, ants help to control soft-bodied garden pests, including chinch worms, mealybugs, whiteflies, scale and cutworms. The biggest problems they pose are often cosmetic. Next, wrap a band around the tree trunk and coat it in petroleum jelly or a sticky insecticide that traps crawling insects. If ants have invaded a plant container, dilute an insecticidal soap according to the instructions on the package and immerse the container in the insecticide solution. After about half an hour, remove the container from the insecticidal soap and allow it to drain thoroughly. Some ant poisons in bait traps include boric acid, avermectin, fipronil and hydramethylnon.