ants all over my garden

[LadybugSam]

Is this bad? I mean the thought of ants all over my zucchini doesn't make me happy at all, but are they really hurting anything? They're running in and out of my flowers (i'm assuming they're drinking the nectar) and i mean they're everywhere. Not anythign scary, just the little black sugar ants.

Should i work on getting rid of them or are they a problem at all? I planted some marigolds in the pot to keep bugs away but they're not working for ants (they use the marigolds to reach the tall branches :rolleyes) I heard that mint keeps them away, and i guess it works. I planted some over where i feed my cat and they haven't been around lately (of coarse maybe they just think my flowers are more interesting :rolleyes2)

What i'm really worried about is that once it starts to fruit (i've got a couple 1 or 2 inch long zucchinis already) that the ants are going to eat my food! Hubby says i don't have to worry unless the fruit gets peirced by someting (like a bird or some kind of rot), but i'm worried anyway :P

[Aisling]

:popcorn

[FaithfilledGranolaChick]

I am curious too, I've got ants in my garden as well...

[canadiyank]

I don't usually worry about ants, but sometimes they're guarding aphids, which you *do* have to worry about. The aphids I hose off with water or if they're really bad I use a natural insecticide from Gardens Alive. So, if they're just running around I'd ignore them but if you notice there's aphids, they're probably "farming" the aphids. At least, that's how I've noticed it around here.

HTH!

[allisonintx]

Diatomaceous Earth or plain grits will work to get rid of ants. Both are earth and human friendly solutions.

[Rea T]

Reviving this thread...I have ants and they are devouring the leaves on my seedlings. First it was just my flower garden with them munching on the baby sunflowers, now they've got a nest under one of my tomato plants and while they haven't touched it, they've decimated the bean seedlings next to it.
I know Allison isn't around right now, but does anyone else know, do I just sprinkle the grits around my garden? And are we talking plain, southern, people food grits?

[rosesnsnails]

You might try sprinkling cinnamon everywhere to see if they'll leave. I don't know if it might attract other buggies though.

[Rea T]

Ooh, I'll try that in the flower bed. It doesn't matter as much if I attract other bugs to those.