‘Effective’ non-toxic 50p ingredient to ‘deter’ ants from nesting in your garden

While ants aren’t as destructive as other garden pests, their little hills can be unsightly and their nests in pots can disturb the soil and destroy the plant’s roots.

The experts at The Greenhouse People said: “When deciding on how to control pests in your garden, it’s important to remember that chemical pesticides are always the last resort.

“There are a number of ways which can help control ants without potentially harming other insects or plants.”

1. Replenish soil

Once ants have made their nests in container plants, it can be tricky to get rid of them, but the simplest way is to replenish the soil.

This works particularly well when the plant is small enough to be handled because it can be easily removed from the pot.

The pros said: “You can also use water to ensure you’ve removed all the white ant eggs. Once the soil is fresh, you can work on deterring ants from nesting in your pots again.

“Ants don’t like moist soil, so keeping potted plants moist will help deter ants from creating a nest.”

2. Sprinkle baking soda

Baking soda is hailed as an eco-friendly ingredient which can be used around the home to clean, and it can also be used in the garden.

According to the experts, baking soda is an “effective” and “simple” way to “kill” ants in the garden.

They added: “Ants aren’t likely to eat the baking soda by itself, so create a mixture with equal parts icing sugar and baking soda. The sugar will encourage the ants to eat it and take it back to the colony.

“Sprinkle this around the edges of your pots where you’ve noticed ants and in areas where there is a lot of ant traffic.”

Baking soda can be picked up for as little as £1, and you’ll only need to use around a quarter of the bottle, depending on how bad the ant infestation is, costing as little as 50p, along with icing sugar.

3. Create your own ant spray

Some scents like peppermint, citrus or cinnamon will naturally deter ants because of the strong scents which they hate.

Add a few drops of these essential oils into a spray bottle with water to effectively repel these garden pests, and adding some washing up liquid can also help to kill ants.

Spray around the plant generously in the evenings, and in the morning, spray the plant with fresh water to remove any soap residue.

4. Get rid of aphids

If there are any aphids on plants, there is a high chance that ants will be nearby because aphids produce a substance called honeydew, which ants love.

Getting rid of aphids will mean that ants will no longer be attracted into the garden so make sure to check for the pests on plants.