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Last year, I planted my potatoes in my raised bed and the fire ants absolutely destroyed my crop. So this year, I decided on grow bags and absolutely drenched the soil in Diatomaceous earth which is safe for vegetable gardens. Even did several more applications. So checked the little Velcro window today and what do I see? Flipping fire ants.
For those of you who have dealt with fire ants in the vegetable garden, what works? I’m really irritated I’m about to lose yet another crop of potatoes to these demon insects. I swear next year, I’m putting my grow bags on pedestals in a pool of water. But I’m hoping some of you have had luck that can give me advice.
Because I’m using grow bags, I can’t really disturb them deep in the bags but I did put a thick ring around each bag, added even more on top, and then basically threw it against the soil through the small Velcro access near the bottom. Seems to work and then two days later, more fire ants. Oh and I sat and watched then walk across the stuff so that’s not totally accurate in the video. It’s very effective in normal mounds. I use it everywhere because of my pups but I’m stumped on how to get it to be effective in the grow bags.
Every time Diatomaceous earth get wet, it is pretty much worthless.
"With both wet and dry applications it is important to remember that diatomaceous earth is only an effective pest control when dry; the powder works as long as it is visible. It may be necessary to reapply DE after it rains. ... "
Buy some Siesta fire-ant bait. A little goes a long way. If you're worried that it's not organic, you can put it close to where your food is grown and it will bait and kill the ant colony and never come in contact with your food.
As somebody else pointed out DE doesn't work when it gets damp. But more importantly it won't stop fire ants when it's dry either. They crawl right over it.
DE is only good for soft bodied insects, like slugs and snails.
It doesn't work on hard bodied insects, never has.
terra core is correct. Read the post he has on here.
I use Amdro, greatest stuff in the world, it's a bait.
Spread it away from your grow bags, the fire ants will cart it home.
It kills the queen.
No more fire ants, and you won't have to put it in your grow bags.
Thanks both. I have some Amdro in my shed. We use that out in the yard so easy enough for me to add to my garden walkways. Hopefully the damage hasn't been too bad from these demon insects. I do hate them. I swear next year I'm putting my grow bags on platforms over a bed of ant killer.
We don't have fire ants (yet) where I live but we do have the common red ant. I've used this product to get rid of red ants. I got rid of three red ant mounds with this product and they haven't come back after two years. This is not a poison--it contains orange oil, which dissolved the ant's exoskeleton and kills them and drives the survivors off to another spot.
I had my first run in with fire ants a few weeks ago when I realized they were all over my legs. I freaked and started knocking them off of me and they went on the attack! I had stings all over my lower legs. Thank God I didn’t have a reaction to their venom!
I had my first run in with fire ants a few weeks ago when I realized they were all over my legs. I freaked and started knocking them off of me and they went on the attack! I had stings all over my lower legs. Thank God I didn’t have a reaction to their venom!
Like I said - demon insects.
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