I have a peyote forum in a 6 gal pot that was growing outside I came into a problem… Fire ants are on top of soil an I’m assuming there underneath soil as well. This is the only plant fire ants have moved to plants. I had used cinnamon an water it worked a little bit . I caught it in time when they were trying to make a mound. Don’t know whether I should cut her down or what. There not climbing on plant itself. Plant looks still healthy an has alot of trichome production but roots look a little chewed up from them. This is first time I’ve dealt with these ants before. My only guess it’s either harvest her now if I do it won’t be a loss or run water over it like a flush til all ants disperse.
Ended up pulling plant sadly as soon as I got roots out so many fire ants were crawling around. How do I stop this from happening again an can I be able to save soil an reuse again if I put corn meal in soil to kill every ant?
Ag molasses works well in the garden soil to keep out fire ants. Corn meal or grits I’ve never had work. Deep south here, fire ants for life.
Orange oil will kill on contact but gets expensive and not sure if you can use it in this hobby.
I did put a little bit of molasses in the peyote but not as much as other ones. Does unsulfured molasses work? How bad is orange oil on plants? @StonedCold13@Covertgrower I have been reading about that does it help alot with Sicilia gel?? I really hate I had to take her down she would of had way bigger buds but had to didn’t want to risk ants killing roots an plant soon as I pulled stalk out loads of ants are crawling everywhere. With that stuff you said with Sicilia gel will it work if I put it in soil plant was in an let it sit or toss out soil? Don’t want ants to come back I when I get home I’ll post pic of plant. Just me eyeballing it it looks like more than 28 grams if dried not much but okay amount for me an my fiance for now til others get done just the bad thing is I’m not gonna get much trim so imma have to save that trim to go with other trim when the other plants get done
Think we are talking about different molasses. Agricultural Molasses is dried onto crushed cob. I till it into gardens to keep the ants out.
Orange oil will kill most things when straight. You could dilute it a couple ounces to the gallon and would be safe for the plant.
Do you think diatomaceous earth an ag molasses will work both together? This is the outcome wet buds came off plant it’s pretty pathetic imo… hopefully next outdoor grow when I get a greenhouse it will be much much better
Sure they will. But when I change anything I do 1 change at a time so if I have problems I’m not guessing which change caused it. DE is definitely a safe bet.
Top dress with it then it will settle through the dirt and once dry again should be effective on ants. Reapply often
DE is like glass to bugs feet. Also, lots of bugs breath through their legs so they literally inhale it. You can sprinkle it on your top soil, and watering will kind of get it in the dirt/soil good.
To reuse the soil and make sure all bugs are dead mist soil with water to make it damp and bake it in the oven. 185° for like 45 mins or so. I believe it was 185 it will cook all the larvae eggs or whatever and give u fresh soil to start with again.
I don’t have fire ant but I have other ants in my garden. They have never hurt anything. Once when I was a kid watched a bunch of them gang up an a caterpillar in the tomatos take it down and carry it off took them all day. Ya 3 boring channels on TV and lived in the country I played outside.
Plant were a way of life.
I drive them out the garden with ag molasses cuz they suck to work around but I leave them around the base of the fruit trees. Like ya said, they ain’t gonna hurt anything.
Ill just order some DE tonight. It’s sad that I had to chop one down early but I have others to make up for it. Thank you all for your help I’m thinking if I put DE around greenhouse I’m planning on getting within the week for next season an DE to top dress plants I won’t worry about fire ants an other insects getting near plants an do alot better in greenhouse than nothing covering them at all.
I’m thinking if I put DE around greenhouse I’m planning on getting within the week for next season an DE to top dress plants I won’t worry about fire ants an other insects getting near plants an do alot better in greenhouse than nothing covering them at all.