# green thumb Dopers: how do I get rid of ants in potted plants? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544 "2010-01-26T18:57:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/1 "2010-01-26T18:57:18Z")
A couple of my container-bound plants (including some Italian dandelion, which is overwintering even better than I’d hoped! :)) have gotten infested with ants. I have DE but don’t know how it would help in this situation. Pour in a circle around the pot so the ants have to cross it? I want that queen dead, though. My two favorite ant treatments are pouring either 1) boiling water or 2) straight white vinegar over the mound. Either in this case would also kill the plant as well as the queen & colony, so … what do you recommend? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/2 "2010-01-26T19:00:29Z")
I re potted over that this weekend. They seem to particularly like orchid bark. Submerging the plant in a barrel outside gets rid of a lot of them. I have read that they are after those fuzzy white insects that attack the plant and don’t injure the plant. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/3 "2010-01-26T19:18:08Z")
Great username/thread combo, **carnivorousplant**! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/4 "2010-01-26T20:12:17Z")
A couple hour submersion will usually drown the ants and not kill the plant. You do need to make sure the soil dries out in a reasonable amount of time so the plant doesn’t get root rot. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/5 "2010-01-26T20:25:50Z")
From [here:](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/gardening/huber/6454742.html) > [@](#): > > Q: Will ants damage my potted plants? > > A: No, but check the plants for honeydew-secreting insects such as aphids, mealybugs or scale on the plants. Ants collect this sweet, high-energy food. If you eliminate these less-desirable insects the ants may move on. > You can discourage the ants by flooding the containers with water and insecticidal soap. Fertilize to replace leached nutrients. Or sprinkle powdered red chile pepper, paprika, dried peppermint, borax, diatomaceous earth and/or pyrethrin in the pots ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/6 "2010-01-26T20:32:08Z")
I have an overwintering strawberry that has ants, too (I put the pot on an anthill before bringing it in for winter - not my most shining gardener moment). I don’t think there’s a queen in mine - just a few stray drones. They don’t bug me, I don’t bug them - I’m just leaving them alone until it’s time to plant the strawberry in spring. If I have to kill them, I think I’ll start with trying the insecticidal soap. I’ve heard ants can go for three days underwater, which is why you really can’t flood them out. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-thumb-dopers-how-do-i-get-rid-of-ants-in-potted-plants/526544/7 "2010-01-26T21:24:01Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I’ve heard ants can go for three days underwater, which is why you really can’t flood them out. I saw that on an exterminator commercial, but it makes them madder than hell, and they pile out like rats leaving a sinking ship. 🙂