Benny, in case I don't show back up for a while, here's a post I made on the Texas thread. (I can dig out the recipe for Garrett juice if you want, but compost tea, molasses and orange oil works just fine and is less work.) @Akrnaf2
What is this said natural way of getting rid of fire ants??? You must share!
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I got it out of Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening (by Howard Garrett & Malcolm Beck). If you have the ability to buy Garrett Juice where you are, the easiest is to mix 1 part orange oil and 2 parts Garrett Juice concentrate, and use at anywhere from 2-6 oz per gallon (make it up fresh each time). I use a lower dose (1 oz orange oil/2 oz Garrett juice per gallon) if it's near my plants or in a pot (in case you might burn roots), and full strength (2 oz orange oil/4 oz Garrett juice per gallon) for mounds in the yard/not around my plants. The book says to use as a spray, but I use it as a mound drench. Works better than anything I've ever used, totally knocks out really established big mounds. AND it helps the plants. I just repotted several citrus trees, including a sweet kumquat tree that had had its pot badly invaded. I had soaked that pot with the lower dose of anti-ant stuff about 2 weeks ago. Repotting yesterday, the roots were the healthiest of all the repotted trees, and that's the only thing different about that tree's care.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]If you don't have access to Garrett juice (or can't make some - there's a recipe in the book, in involves compost tea, molasses, garlic, and some other stuff), you can also use 1 part compost tea, 1 part molasses, and 1 part citrus oil (again, using this mix at 2-6 oz per gallon). They hate compost tea, but I have found that compost/compost tea alone is only partially effective (in my yard). I think it used to be marketed premixed as "Anti-fuego", but I'm not sure it's still available. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]I don't try to eradicate them everywhere, just where they are specifically where I don't want them (e.g., invading growing space). As I understand it, fire ants in your yard help keep out/away fleas (can't remember if it's ticks as well). YMMV.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]The book is amazing with all sorts of other natural pest control ideas, as well as a great veggie book. I used it so much that my first copy actually fell apart and I had to get another one. Another great book is the Texas Bug Book...[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]- Ant Farm[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]Edit: I see you're in Round Rock. I'm in the San Antonio area. You shouldn't have trouble finding Garrett Juice and orange oil. Try your local nurseries or Lowes..."[/COLOR]
Thanks FAF! I surly take it in consideration!
