You’ve noticed ants in the raised bed and are wondering if they’re good or bad for the plants. When it comes to insects, opinions differ. Some home gardeners see them as useful, others want to combat them.
In which cases are ants useful in raised beds?
Ants are useful helpers for hobby gardeners. In the raised bed, the insects fulfill several important functions:
- They promote the decomposition of dead plant parts such as shoots and fallen leaves. Then you bring them into the soil and thereby improve it.
- They loosen the soil and improve drainage. Ants are very useful especially for clay soils. They dig complicated tunnel systems that loosen it up. This allows the plants to root through the raised bed and absorb water from the lower soil layers even in dry conditions.
- They eat pests such as caterpillars that can infest the plants in the raised bed. The control is completely natural and the use of pesticides is not necessary.
- Ants carry the seeds of the plants and allow them to spread naturally in the raised bed.
So if the number of ants is not too large, then you don’t have to drive them away. However, the situation is different when the insects have their nest in the raised bed. Then there can also be problems.
In which cases do you have to do something against the ants?
Ants can also damage plants. You should drive away the insects in the following cases:
- Ants can encourage aphid infestation. This is because they feed on the sticky substance that aphids leave on leaves and shoots. The ants therefore protect their food source from predators such as beetles and contribute to the problem. This often allows the infestation of neighboring plants. So if you notice aphids on the plants in the raised bed, you should also drive the ants away.
- Large numbers of ants can also leverage a tunnel system that weakens roots and diverts rain and irrigation water. So it can happen that some plants in the bed evaporate while others rot.
How can you fight or drive away the ants in the raised bed?
The good news: since ants are beneficial in the garden, you don’t have to fight the insects. You can drive them away with some clever tricks. The first step to this is to find the nest. It can, but does not necessarily have to be in the raised bed. Ants build their nests in sunny and dry places in the garden. The joints of the paving stones, a sunny rock garden or a sunny corner in the raised bed are well suited for this. If you can’t find the nest, just follow an ant trail.
Be sure to combat fire ants and carpenter ants
The native ant species are not dangerous for humans and animals. However, there are two types of ants that you should definitely fight. The representatives of the only fire ant species that is widespread in this country are golden brown and have poisonous spines. Fortunately, they are not dangerous to humans or animals, but the bites can trigger allergic reactions. The bites of the large black carpenter ants, on the other hand, are painful. The two species are therefore considered pests, mainly because they can damage wood. The carpenter ants often find their way into the house and settle there. Therefore, to prevent this, one should fight them. The quickest way to do this is with hot water. Boil at least 5 liters of water and pour it directly onto the nest early in the morning, preferably around 5-6am. The boiling water will kill the insects and their eggs. A negative side effect: the plants that grow in the immediate vicinity of the nest will die.
Get rid of ants in the raised bed with a trick
You don’t have to fight the other ant species, you can drive them away.
Once you have found the nest, you can drive the ants away with regular “showers”. For this purpose, simply water the nest abundantly with water several times a day. Repeat this process for a week – the ants will then move out.
Another variation is to make it easier for the ants to move. To do this, simply fill an old clay pot with straw and dry sandy soil and then place it right next to the nest. Then it’s time to wait. The clay pot, which gradually gives off heat in the evening, is a better home for the insects and they will happily leave their old nest and move into the new home. Then put the pot in a far away, sunny corner.