Ants!!!!!

[divegirl]

Hi all, please could you tell me what damage ants do to a plant [if any]? I have just gone to plant a large fushia in a pot but it is running alive with ants!!!! Do I need to get rid of the ants before using the pot [it's a bluddy massive pot and is going to take some emptying :o[ ].

Many thanks

Lisa x

[mrknowall]

The amount of damage ants do to plants is minimal. However, they can be a nuisance.

Ants eat mainly insects but if you see them clustering around aphids on a plant, they are usually harvesting the sweet "honeydew" aphids excrete.

[Hawkwalk]

Ants in the soil are not good as they ruin the soil structure and damage roots. I would not plant with ants in the soil and suggest changing the compost and starting with fresh.

[RATTER15]

Mix ant powder with sugar and water and put around the pot, keep other animals away as they may be attracted to the sugar. that will get rid of them fairly quickly.