Aside from the immense ability of gardening to stabilize the soil, filter water, and bolster the natural environment, gardening can be a rewarding activity. Ants are crucial in gardens because they help aerate the ground for the proper water flow that plants need. However, ants love to feed on the sap of plants. When ants multiply to an exponential population, they can wreak immense damage to the garden. Hence, keeping the ant population ideal is essential. You can visit homepestcontrol.org for DIY tips for Ants removal.
In this post, we focus our attention on five effective natural plants that can keep ants away from your garden for good and the significant pros and cons of these plants.
5 Plants for Your Garden that Can Repel Ants
Mint
Mint is a prominent ant repellent in different varieties, from peppermint to spearmint. Most of these varieties are effective for keeping ants at bay. How? By producing a scent that most ant species dislike and avoid.
Thankfully, humans find mint scent refreshing. Even better, mints like peppermint can be used to flavour tea. This dual functionality makes mint a win-win for avid gardeners.
Growing mint requires well-drained soil. Hence, add some peat or perlite to the soil if necessary. What’s more, position the plant to receive 4 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight daily.
Because of its prolific growth and lifespan, mint can quickly cover large areas of your garden, thereby invading and interfering with the well-being of other plants. Hence, you must keep the growth of this unique natural ant repellent in check. Alternatively, consider applying oils mint as they also serve as effective ant repellent without the extra baggage.
Lavender
Humans love the scent of lavender. That’s why we use lavender in everything – from detergents to soaps to potpourris. On the other hand, ants, flies, and other bugs detest the overwhelming aroma of lavender. Hence, lavender is one of our favourite ant repellents for several wildlife professionals like those at Magic Touch Exterminating and Wildlife Control.
Lavender requires lots of bright sunlight and an adequate breeze to thrive, so consider it when selecting a planting spot. While there are different strains of lavender, the French lavender is the easiest to grow and maintain. Note that lavender oil can also work as an ant repellent.
Rosemary
Although not as aromatic as mint or lavender, rosemary is equally potent for keeping ants out of your garden. However, nurturing the rosemary plant requires a bit of work, but the beauty it adds to your yard is satisfying. Here’s what you need to know about planting rosemary. First off, you need to be more careful about watering. A good approach is to wait for a dehydrated surface before watering. If you’re planting it in a pot, ensure the water is properly drained.
For better results as an ant repellent, crush rosemary leaves and spread them across your garden. You can also extract the oil from the plant and apply it to your garden.
Thyme
Believe it or not, thyme is super effective for keeping ants out of your garden – all thanks to its antibacterial and antifungal properties. What’s more, thyme is great for garnishing a wide array of recipes, making them a superb garden addition.
Since thyme does not require lots of sunlight, they are easy to maintain. One major drawback is the ability of thyme to spread exponentially. You can also spread fresh/dried thyme in your garden to keep ants away.
Marigold
Not all ant repellents have to be kitchen herbs! The beautiful orange marigold can bring life and vibrancy to your garden while keeping ants at bay. What’s more, marigolds can also repel flies from your house.
Marigold makes for good ant repellent because they are tolerant of most soil conditions, drought-resistant, and withstand the summer’s heat. These easy-to-grow flowers are indeed the workhorse of the garden.
Wrap up
From mint to marigold, several plant species serve as natural plant repellents. Common examples of such species include tansy, lemongrass, and garlic. Using natural plant repellents offers a way to keep nuisance ants without the use of harmful pesticides. And as a savvy gardener, you can use such plants to bolster your garden’s diversity.
Comments are closed.