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Gardening Tip of the Day
There are many safe, natural dry powders that can repel or control ants without using poisons.
Ants leave a pheromone trail to and from their nest to food they have found. Placing various natural substances on these scent trails can repel or kill ants.
Ants do not like caffeine. Therefore, coffee grounds placed along the trail will repel ants.
Sprinkle powdered cinnamon on trails and around ant hills. Cinnamon kills ants by suffocation.
A mixture of equal parts powdered sugar and baking soda will kill ants that eat it. Ants will not eat plain baking soda so mix well with the powdered sugar.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is an excellent ant repellent. The sharp edges of the diatomaceous earth cuts the exoskeletons which kill the ants by dehydration.
Common all-purpose baking flour will destroy the pheromone trails.
Lastly, baby powder, or talcum powder, will also disrupt the scent trails.
These methods are effective both indoors and out, but when used outdoors, the powders must be replaced after watering or rainfall.
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2022
