Ants in the Garden

Harnessing the Power of Ants: Benefits and Management Tips

When ants go marching one by one in your house, it makes good sense to pull out ant bait or call the exterminator.

If you spot ants in your garden, on the other hand, it could be better news than you think. Most ant species have an impressive array of benefits to offer including improving soil health, boosting plant growth, and eliminating unwanted pests. 

Yes, some ants are problematic, indoors or outdoors: Stinging fire ants come to mind. But in many cases, it’s worth thinking twice before waging all-out war against the ants parading past your veggies or flowers. 

Gi-ant helps in the garden

Ants are famous for being hard workers, which is a win-win for them and for us. The steady effort ants put into building their homes and stocking up on food actually lighten our load in the garden.

Take the tunnels ants dig below ground for their colonies: With every grain of dirt they excavate, ants aerate the soil. And that, in turn, gives plant roots easier access to oxygen and moisture. 

Ants help fertilize plants, too. That’s because the leaves and insects they bring to their nests provide nutrients as they decay. An added bonus: ants also like to collect seeds in their nests, 

where they gobble up the edible parts and discard the rest. This process, myrmecochory, helps plant seeds germinate and grow in new locations, promoting plant diversity in your garden.

Ants aren’t known for playing a role in pollination, but they do help with that, too, on a limited scale. When they forage for nectar and other food sources, they sometimes inadvertently transfer pollen from one flower to another.

And then there’s ants’ role providing natural pest control. Many of them prey on garden pests like caterpillars, aphids, and other small insects that can harm plants.

Ant-icipating potential challenges

We’re not necessarily encouraging you to take steps to attract ants like you would with other beneficial insects. Ants do a great deal to help in the garden, but on a large scale, they come with challenges, too.

Some ant species actually “farm” garden pests like aphids and mealybugs for their honeydew, meaning they protect them from potential predators and help them find food. That’s not great news since aphids’ and mealybugs’ voracious appetite for sap can be life-threatening for plants.

An excessive ant population can lead to other issues, too, like disrupting the soil structure by creating too many tunnels or outcompeting other beneficial insects for resources. 

The key to reaping the benefits ants offer, without subjecting your garden to harm, is to monitor your ant population and manage it.

Maintaining ants in your garden—within reason

Achieving a balance where you can coexist with ants while protecting your garden calls for a few strategic practices.

Start by taking steps to attract natural predators of aphids and mealybugs. You can attract ladybugs, for example, by planting dill, fennel, and yarrow. These beneficial insects will help lower your population of pests and decrease the likelihood of ants farming them.

Planting to attract a variety of beneficial insects also helps prevent one particular population, like ants, from becoming dominant in the garden. Plant marigolds to attract hoverflies or cosmos to attract green lacewings.

If you notice a large ant colony, or you find ants are causing problems in your garden, try to avoid chemical pesticides, which can disrupt the natural balance in your garden and harm beneficial insects. 

We recommend using natural deterrents and barriers:

• Diatomaceous earth: This natural powder can be sprinkled around the base of plants to deter ants. It works by dehydrating insects that come into contact with it.
• Cinnamon and citrus peels: Both of these natural substances can repel ants. Sprinkling cinnamon around plants or placing citrus peels in areas where ants are a problem can help keep them at bay.
• Vinegar solution: Spray a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water around garden entry points to deter ants without harming the plants.
• Herbs and plants: Planting herbs like mint, lavender, and tansy around your garden can help repel ants naturally.