Ants are one of the most common pests seen indoors as well outdoors. Ants invade the potted plants kept indoors because they get the perfect habitat to survive. They get loose, rich soil and moisture in the container. Ants form colonies near the roots which pose a threat to the potted plants as little creatures try to damage the roots and make more space for themselves. The primary concern for homeowners in such a case is to look out for ways to get rid of these ants. This blog suggests some affordable and easy-to-use methods to make the task easier.
How to Keep Ants Away From Indoor Plants?
“Prevention is better than cure” is what should be followed. Once ants invade the houseplants, there are ways to get rid of them, but homeowners should try to work on the root cause of their infiltration. Here are some of the preventive measures:
Check All the Entry Points: Ants find their way indoors through holes or cracks, Hence, seal all the holes and cracks around windows and doors or any plumbing under the counters to keep ants away.
Maintain Cleanliness in Homes: Ants mainly get attracted to food sources, so maintain cleanliness in your home. Remove food debris, so ants will have no attraction left to remain indoors.
Different Ways to Eliminate Ants in Indoor Plants
There are several ideas to get rid of ants such as preparing bait or simply repotting. Here are the detailed information on each method:
1. Submerge Pot in a Bucket
One of the simplest ways to keep ants away from the potted plants is to submerge the pot in a bucket. The bucket should be a little bigger than the pot. Fill water in the bucket just above the pot’s mix. Soon, you will notice ants rushing out as they can’t survive in water. Leave the pot until no ants are seen coming out which may take 3-4 hrs. Finally, take out the pot from the basket and let it drain.
2. Prepare Bait to Lure Ants
Eliminating ants from potted plants is similar to any other part of the home. The main reason for ants invading your potted plant is food. Hence, they may go beyond the pots and spread to other parts of the home. In such a case, setting out baits along their trails is highly effective. Ants while following their fellow ants through the trail carry the poisonous bait to their colony. After consuming bait with poison, the entire colony can be destroyed.
3. Repot the Plant
Repotting the plant is a highly impactful way to get rid of ants. Start loosening the soil in the pot and carefully remove the plant without damaging the roots. Then, keep the plant on the surface and allow some time for ants to run off. You will notice ants fleeing. Replace all the old soil with new and fresh soil. You can use a new pot or use the old one too, but clean the old pot thoroughly to remove remaining insect eggs. Rinse the roots too to remove any left insect egg. Finally, put the plant in the pot with new soil. Try to place the pot at a new place until you are sure that there are no ants left.
4. Treat Pests
If ants are collecting honeydew, it indicates the presence of other pests like aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, and whiteflies as they excrete honeydew. Therefore, it’s important to focus on such pests first because once the other pests are eliminated, ants would automatically leave the place due to shortage of food.
5. Insecticidal Soap
This method is used to treat the plants directly. Prepare a solution by mixing one or two tablespoons of soap with one quart of water and sink the container in it. Leave it for 20 minutes to kill all the ants in the soil. Finally, remove the ants manually from the leaves.
6. Spray Scents on the Soil
Ants don’t like scents, so spray scents on the soil and leaves of the plant to keep them at bay. You just have to simply squeeze an orange or apply citrus oil over the surface of the soil or spread coffee grounds, mint leaves or cinnamon on the soil.
The other option is to use homemade repellant such as baking soda, vinegar or essential oil containing mint oil and citronella.
| Some Tips | Ensure the oil doesn't come in direct contact with the plants. |
Conclusion
There are different ways to get rid of ants in the home. Whether ants have made their home in the potted plants or somewhere else, eliminating them is easy. You can simply follow some DIY methods discussed in this blog and prevent their infiltration.
