Prevent ants from damaging your lawn and garden using these effective natural pest management techniques.
Big anthills in your yard might look unsightly. Additionally, they can make mowing difficult.
mow your lawn
or tend your garden—especially if those hills harbor stinging fire ants. If you’re ready to reclaim your space, here are some easy ways to eliminate ant hills using natural and organic
pest control techniques
. Plus get tips on ways to avoid attracting ants to your yard in the first place.
Are All Ants in Gardens Harmful?
Some species of ants can definitely be problematic.
Carpenter ants
, for example, can damage buildings by tunneling into wood, while fire ants are infamous for their painful stings and bites. However, most ant species have a neutral effect on plants, and some ants benefit lawns and gardens by:
-
Reducing pests.
Ants tend to gather around plants that have been invaded by pests.
spider mites
, cabbage loopers, root maggots, beetle grubs, scale, mealybugs, ticks, or other pests that ants feed on. If you leave those ants alone, there’s a good chance they’ll gobble up some pests for you. -
Removing organic waste.
Like nature’s cleanup crew, ants keep outdoor spaces tidy by feeding on old, decaying plant matter, dead bugs, and other garden debris. -
Improving soil health.
Ants aerate tough soils when they build their tunnels. They also boost soil fertility by bringing organic matter like dead bugs underground, where it naturally degrades into the soil. -
Planting seeds.
Ants sow many wildflower and spring ephemeral plant seeds. This plant-and-ant partnership is known as
myrmecochory. -
Pollinating plants.
While bees and butterflies get most of the pollinator credit, ants are secondary pollinators that pollinate plants while foraging for food.
Deciding whether to live alongside ants or eliminate them and their mounds is your choice. However, if these anthills are located in a remote area and not causing issues, it might be best to let them remain undisturbed.
Related:
What Pests Are Helpful for Your Garden? 8 Advantageous Insects You Should Have Nearby
Ways to Stop Anthills From Forming
Even though ants can occasionally aid in plant and garden growth, ant colonies and their mounds aren’t necessarily desired. Preventing most ant problems from the outset can be achieved by altering your approach.
garden maintenance practices
And making some adjustments to make your garden unwelcoming to ants.
1. Avoid skipping your gardening upkeep tasks.
If you wish to avoid dealing with ant hills, refrain from allowing your grass to grow excessively long or permitting overhanging shrubs to develop in unmaintained sections of land, as ants tend to construct their mounds in such environments.
prune back garden plants
As necessary, clear away fallen fruits, and get rid of brush and log piles. Additionally, you might consider
water your lawn
or garden more frequently since ants are especially attracted to dry soil.
2. Till the soil regularly.
Ants often build their hills in areas that don’t see a lot of human activity, but you can make your garden less attractive to ants by working the soil regularly and tilling your garden beds at least once or twice a year. Tilling is also an effective strategy for removing established ant hills, although you may need to till a few times to knock out large hills.
Related:
The 6 Best Tillers, Tested by BHG
3. Reduce ant food sources.
Aphids,
mealybugs
, and other sap-sucking pests are sometimes “farmed” by ants for their sticky honeydew. Reducing these pests can reduce the food sources attracting ants, making them less likely to stick around. Spraying plants with a strong blast of water is usually all it takes to dislodge pests. You can also control pests with
companion planting
or several applications of organic soap spray.
4. Plant strongly scented plants.
Powerfully fragranced herbs positioned thoughtfully around lawns and gardens can render your property less attractive to ants. Certain top choices for this purpose encompass strong-smelling herbs such as
mint
,
basil
, and
bay
, but feel free to try decorations such as chrysanthemums.
5. Use repellent sprays or powders.
Using natural repellent sprays around the edges of your garden or lawn and in spots where ants tend to gather can effectively stop ants and hinder their mound construction. These sprays may be available for purchase at nearby gardening stores; alternatively, consider using natural substances such as turmeric or cinnamon powder, or homemade mixtures containing peppermint oil, turmeric oil, or thyme oil. Essential oils have proven just as potent as synthetic pesticides when it comes to keeping ants away. Nonetheless, both commercial and DIY options should be applied cautiously since they could pose risks to beneficial insects and household pets.
Ways to Eliminate Anthills
Ants frequently construct tiny mounds in the spaces between sidewalk cracks; however, you might also spot bigger anthills in different locations such as an unused section of your lawn, patio, or flowerbed. Similar to icebergs, what appears above ground represents only a fraction of their size since these structures can stretch multiple feet underground. Below are some methods for eliminating ant hills without resorting to chemical insecticides or paying exorbitant fees for professional pest management services.
1. Flattening and Excavation
A highly effective strategy to remove existing anthills involves flattening them using a rake or shovel. Typically, smaller mounds can be handled swiftly; however, bigger, more entrenched ones might require multiple flattenings so that the ants eventually cease their reconstruction efforts. For quicker outcomes, consider excavating the whole mound down to beneath ground level before applying either the flooding or boiling water technique.
While digging can be useful against many types of ants, it’s not advisable for fire ants because of their tendency to be aggressive.
2. Flooding
If you’d rather take a less active role, consider using the flooding method to deal with ant mounds. Position your garden hose close to an existing anthill and let the water flow continuously for about 3 to 5 minutes until it begins to accumulate. This process ought to make the ant tunnels cave in; however, you may have to repeat this strategy multiple times, particularly with bigger hills that have complex tunnel systems.
Related:
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3. Boiling Water
Pouring boiling water over ant hills can be even more effective than flooding, although it works best on small hills and shouldn’t be used near plants you value. Heat several pots of water to ensure you have enough to treat the entire hill in one go. Then, slowly and carefully pour the pots of water over the hill. Repeat this treatment, if needed, at weekly intervals until the ants stop rebuilding.
4. Boric Acid
Unlike numerous ant baits and traps, boric acid or
borax
It has been certified for use in organic gardens and can effectively eliminate ant colonies along with their queens. To ensure safety, make sure to keep borax out of reach from pets and young children, and avoid applying borax or boric acid directly onto ant mounds or within garden areas.
Tips
Create your own DIY ant trap using borax following these steps:
- Make a tiny opening on the side of a plastic takeout box.
- Add a lure mixture prepared with 1½ cups of water, ½ cup of sugar or peanut butter, and 1½ tablespoons of borax.
- Position the trap close to the anthill you wish to eliminate.
Other Removal Methods
If you’re seeking additional natural ways to remove ants, consider trying the following alternatives:
-
Diatomaceous earth
(DE).
Composed of fossilized phytoplankton, diatomaceous earth is sanctioned for use in organic gardens and can be applied directly to anthills to eliminate ants. Nonetheless, it can adversely affect beneficial insects like pollinators, so you should avoid using it on flowering plants and always employ it cautiously. -
Vinegar and baking soda.
Vinegar can be poured directly onto ant hills to kill ants, but you can also combine it with baking soda to make ant tunnels cave in. Avoid using
vinegar near valuable plants
, as it can kill plants, too. -
Soapy water.
Pour soapy water directly into ant hills or add a squirt of dish soap when treating ant hills with boiling water or flooding. This makes your treatment method of choice even more effective. -
Natural predators.
Backyard chickens will readily scratch at anthills and eat the ants, but you can manage ants organically by attracting woodpeckers and other feathered friends to your garden.
Suet cakes
Are among the top choices for luring woodpeckers.
Related:
Ways to Eliminate Ants from Lemon Trees (and Other Citrus Plants)
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