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| Fire ants in the backyard https://www.dirtdoctor.com/efl/dirtDoctor/fire-ants-in-the-backyard-t22201.html |
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| Author: | RadMama [ Tue Jul 30, 2013 10:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Fire ants in the backyard |
Hi. We just bought our first house! Very excited to have a backyard again!! The previous owners put in new St. Augustine sod either last year or earlier this year. I've been needing to water the lawn and my 2 yr old wants very badly to play in the water, but there are sooo many fire ants in the yard. I am in need of a natural ant killer solution that won't damage the grass and is safe for my toddler (and myself, since I am 7 mos pregnant). Any advice? Thank you!! |
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| Author: | northwesterner [ Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fire ants in the backyard |
There's a slam-dunk easy answer for that. Get some beneficial nematodes and apply them after the next good watering or soaking rain. Do it in the morning or evening so they don't get the brightest light or the heat of the day. Here is Howard's latest list of where to get various beneficial insects and nematodes. For the specific mounds, you can use the mound drench recipe and treat them until you have a chance to get the nematodes. You can also do nematodes on specific mounds, and that is a good idea (the amount of mixture you use varies whether you broadcast to the entire space or treat just mounds) but since your entire yard has ants, I think I would use the package on the entire yard the first time, and treat individual mounds with the mound drench, and perhaps come back a few weeks later and treat any remaining mounds with the more dense mix of nematodes recommended for tough mounds. Or you could do the opposite. The thing about organic gardening is that there are lots of ways to do it and the choices you make depend on what you have available to you as far as the materials called for. |
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| Author: | wyliecunningham [ Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fire ants in the backyard |
I also am over-run by fire ants. I have an acre I'm working with and have been totally organic since we moved here 3 1/2 years ago. The more I fight the fire ants, the more fire ants I have. I ordered a 3 pack of 3 different kinds of beneficial nematodes from Arbico and followed the directions for all 3. It is a little difficult to keep any moisture for those that need moisture and I don't know how it can be done for an acre with the cost and the watering restrictions. I have been spreading molasses since the day we moved in. I have tried Spinosad also. Still, the fire ants are worse than ever. There must be something else I can try. I've never been so tempted by Ambro. Honestly I'm at a loss why they seem to be getting worse the more I try to control them organically. Please, anyone?!?!?!?! |
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| Author: | northwesterner [ Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fire ants in the backyard |
Try the down and dirty one-hill-at-a-time approach - boil water in a tea kettle and pour it on a mound, then boil some more and hit another mound. Concentrate the stream so you pour it in a way that it works its way into the mound. This time of year they're bound to be deeper so to kill more ants do it in the early morning when they are closer to the surface. I've also done the same thing with just hot water in a bucket and some orange oil (few tablespoons per gallon) and poured it directly onto the mound. This is particularly good for the mounds that seem to be right where everyone walks and gets bites. It isn't very scientific, but you'll feel better afterward! |
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| Author: | wyliecunningham [ Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fire ants in the backyard |
I can't use boiling water when they are at the base of my plants/shrubs/trees. I've used the mound drench but again, these are right where something is growing so I can't use too much orange oil without killing what's growing there. First time ever, I'm afraid of gardening in many areas because I can't get rid of the fire ants. |
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| Author: | cnicholson [ Sun Sep 08, 2013 1:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fire ants in the backyard |
I have used beneficial nematodes with great success, but my niece swears by grits. She puts down instant grits right on top of the mound and they either eat it and die or they move elsewhere. She has a fairly large yard so it must be killing them as they don't come back. You might try this method since you don't want to pour boiling water on them due to plants. By the way, a little bit of orange oil won't kill your plants! Just don't overdo it! |
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