DoctorSteve

Hey everyone, we have tons of ants at our place it is a constant battle but we have pushed them back a little. So I went to look at one of my bananas in a 7 gallon contractors pot (cheap!) and ant are making their nest in there.

I have two questions, should I worry about them harming the banana roots or any other part, and how to I get rid of them?

Thanks for any advice.

Oh and they are not farming aphids on this plant or around it.

oakshadows

We use corn meal around here to control them somewhat. It works pretty good but there are so many this year it is unbelievable. Luckly they aren't the kind that bite and create sores like the fire ants, but some do manage to get in a little tingle. I doubt that they will do anything except be an annoyance but keep the eyes open and see if the corn meal does the trick, just sprinkle a small amount in their path. There are several other ways but this method is safe expecially if you have kids or small pets around. Honey or syrup works also. Good luck. Give google a shot, plenty of info there.

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

Gabe15

If they are not farming aphids, there is no damage they are doing. If anything, they will probably help the plant a little by creating those tunnels and allowing for better aeration of the soil.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

sunfish

I bet I have more ants than you

musa_monkey

I had a nest in a Red Tiger pot this year. It was kind of interesting watching them come and go with eggs and food. I just left them to it, they don't harm the plant and are gone soon enough.

oakshadows

Bet you don't. With five acres for them to roam they are everywhere this year. It has never been so bad here, they don't do much harm when they bite but it is irratating having them everywhere. From our research these critters seem to be booming across the country.
Time to cal ant busters

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

oakshadows

Ants are easy to control in small areas but when one has to put up with them on more than a large lot then it is more of a problem. We have and will continue to spread corn meal across any area we visit on a regular basis and hope to get a foot or two ahead of them. Many of the ants around here are usually agreeable but then there are those ...... we are always looking for better methods, any and all help appreciated. Thanks

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

DoctorSteve

Well it sounds like they will not harm the banana in my pot but I found a solution anyway. Oh and as Gabe said they my help by aerating. I just don't trust the ants we have. I have moved many times in my life and I have never, ever had so many bugs as we do at this house. I feel like we are camping in a house.

Oh so what I did was go to a hydro store and got saucer, a big saucer as I have a 7 gallon pot (nursery style, ~$13). It was a tad to small so I put two brick in there as stands, put the banana on top and filled the saucer with water. Unless the ants build an ant bridge they have nowhere to go.

I could have let them be but I don't trust these ants. They don't go away the colony is massive. It goes all along our fence around the house (few hundred feet,guessing), down the driveway, over the driveway (20ish feet), all along the front lawn, under our tree, along the walk way, over the grass and into my neighbors yard, and many times in our roof. Oh well, millions or billions against 2, I think they win. Just stay outside.

tasanas

I have lots of red ants on large trees around my house . They don't harm plants, only people they do bite.

raygrogan

My ant numbers went WAY DOWN when I started encouraging tree frogs. I've never seen it, but I think the froggers set up shop on an ant trail and just eat their fill. In Hawaii we use "Manoa" frogs, sorta green and black, a type of poison dart frog. Tropical I think. They became very plentiful and very effective. In Iowa we use gray tree frogs. They can handle the cold with ease, but I don't see many frogs and the ants are fewer, getting better, but overall I did not see much change.

bananimal

The only time I am concerned about ants in potted plants is when I bring the pots in the house before a hurricane. Did this once and had ants and tree frogs for house guests for awhile. Gotta treat the pots with an insecticide other than stinky Malathion before they come in.

trebor

For what it's worth .. ANTS ha ha Boy I have had some ants here .. I have found cinnamon (dark) as a repellent works great . It don't kill them but a lot of ant species will not travel over the stuff. So its another something to try If it works on your ants we have My Grand Mother Gladis Bielen to thank.. She would be thrilled to know she has once again helped a gardener

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If ya can't eat it, it ain't growing in my back yard !