Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

A couple years ago we were besieged by fire ants. Garden, yards, under everything, in every pot. I almost gave up. Then I tried something a friend told me, and mixed grits with diatemacious earth. I put them in cans like small coffe cans with plastic lids, punched holes with a single hole puncher around the parimiter of the lids, put the lids on and handed them out to grandchildren. Grandchildren hated the ants because they made outdoor play uncomfortable. We declaired war on the fire ants, over turning everything to find their 'forts'. We won the battle! I still keep a can or two around to help with the occasional pop up encampments of the enemy.
Cako

--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups.com, The Miracle's <babycakes50@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gail,
> Try corn meal, spread it on the trouble area and see if that helps.The
> corn gluten
> should kill the ants.
>
> Jim
> Zone 5a MI
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: gail41647 <glsh47@...>
> To: Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, February 22, 2012 8:21:35 PM
> Subject: [Organic_Gardening] Fire Ants
>
>
> Does anybody have problems with these besides me? I had to replace my 2 raised
> beds because the wood rotted. When I built them about 8 years ago I mixed a lot
> of organic material in the dirt so I wanted to save the dirt. We dug out the
> dirt and put it in a childs plastic swimming pool and covered it with a tarp
> because it was going to rain. Well,I guess it got nice and warm under the tarp
> because when we put it back in the new beds it was loaded with fire ants. I have
> been battling these d--n things for years and when I saw all those ants I lost
> it and had a temper tantum and started crying. (it's OK, I'm an old women) I
> don't know how I'm going to get them out and still stay organic. I can't pour
> boiling water over them because there's no mound. They are dispersed throughout
> the dirt. I did some research online and someone said take some peanut butter
> and put in some honey and boric acid. I put a glob on the end of a popcicle
> stick and placed it near thier trail. It's been there for a couple of days and
> only a few of them are eating it. i need to start planting now. Anyone have any
> ideas?
>
> Gail
> frustrated in southern MS
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

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