How can you manage ants without harming the vegetable garden?
Question:
I have significant ant presence in my home and have a very large vegetable and native edible garden. I’m looking for advice on managing the ants without harming the gardens, where they might be living. Is there any pest management tools that would address the ants and not harm us or edible food?
Answer:
There are a number of types of ants that can get into the house and cause concern. Removing the food source that they are attracted to in the kitchen is the first thing to do. Here are a number of suggestions. If the number of ants in your house is small, you may be able to control the individual ants, or vacuum up a small number of them. If you vacuum them, you will need to either empty the bag outside, or spray with an insecticide.
If these measures do not work, you may need to consider spraying the perimeter of your house. This factsheet lists materials that can be used.