skip to main content

Fruit & Orchards

ants in blackberry container

11 years ago

I just potted a new blackberry in a container 2 weeks ago. The plant is already leafing out beautifully, but it won't bear fruit for another year. I discovered an ants nest in the container today. What can I safely use to kill the ants but not poison the soil? Or should I kill the ants and replace the potting soil?

Thanks.

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

larry_gene
11 years ago
You can try boric acid powder/powdered sugar mixture (but this must be kept dry), or ant traps. I assume the container is too large to just discourage them by overwatering and flooding them out?

You can probably poke around and disrupt the nest without harming the blackberry plant.
Related Professionals
New Mexico Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Owings Mills Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Walnut Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Manchester Landscape Contractors · Pelham Landscape Contractors · Woburn Landscape Contractors · Deerfield Landscape Contractors · Dudley Landscape Contractors · Lehigh Acres Landscape Contractors · Lemoore Landscape Contractors · North Canton Landscape Contractors · Point Pleasant Landscape Contractors · Soddy Daisy Landscape Contractors · Tewksbury Landscape Contractors · Tinton Falls Landscape Contractors

Related Stories

FARM YOUR YARD How to Grow Vegetables in Containers

By Annie Thornton

Get glorious vegetables and fruits on your patio with a pro’s guidance — including his personal recipe for potting mix

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: 20 Quiet and Contained Kids' Toys

No batteries. Minimal losable pieces. And they engage the imagination. Need we say more?

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Bid Bad Garden Bugs Goodbye and Usher In the Good

By Matt Kilburn

Give ants their marching orders and send mosquitoes moseying, while creating a garden that draws pollinators and helpful eaters

SHOWERS Turn Your Shower Niche Into a Design Star

By Becky Harris

Clear glass surrounds have raised the design bar for details such as shampoo and soap shelves. Here are 4 standouts

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Healthy Home Habitats for Northern Flickers

By Habitat Network

These colorful woodpeckers found across the U.S. and Canada love berries, seeds and ants and often nest in deep burrows in trees

SPRING GARDENING How to Grow a Rose Garden in Pots

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Everything can come up roses, even without a plot of soil in sight. This step-by-step guide to growing roses in containers shows you how

CONTAINER GARDENS Patio-Perfect Berry Bushes Like You’ve Never Seen

Small enough for pots but offering abundant fruit, these remarkable bred berries are a boon for gardeners short on space

HOUSEPLANTS How to Grow Orchids Indoors

By Marianne Lipanovich

Orchids are the exotic aristocrats of the flower world and can make themselves comfortable in almost any home

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Reasons to Love Vertical Gardens

By Laura Gaskill

Boring patios and lackluster views, begone!

KITCHEN STORAGE Take Your Recycling Station From Blah to 'Ahhhh'

By Amber Hopman

Revamp an eyesore setup or just improve recycling efficiency with pullout drawers, stylish containers and innovative solutions

Sponsored

More Discussions

Small pomegranate for container?

1

Peach tree dead buds

2

beginning fruit or new leaves

6

No flowers on my apricot tree?

6

Peach Tree Leaf Curl

6