Banish ants from your garden and home for good by spraying one natural item
As the weather warms up, ants and flying ants can become a real nuisance in the garden - but there's a simple and natural way to deter them using a common household item.
As the warm weather continues, it's the perfect time to give your garden a makeover. With the prospect of more sunny weather, we can look forward to spending numerous hours outside, but the rise in temperature also leads to an increase in garden pests.
Ants and flying ants can be particularly bothersome. While they don't cause significant harm to plants, their presence can be annoying - and if they're in your garden, there's a high likelihood they'll find their way into your home. Luckily, there's a cost-effective and natural method to keep them at bay.
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Gardening experts at Yell have put together their best advice for keeping common garden pests at bay that tend to show up more often in the summer months.
If ants are causing problems in your garden or invading your home, some of the most effective natural deterrents involve strong citrus scents. Lemon is particularly useful - simply mix lemon juice with water and spray it along ant trails to discourage them.
This citrus fruit can also be used indoors to stop ants from entering. According to Safeguard Pest Control specialists, you can squirt lemon juice directly into known entry points and place shavings of lemon rind along the ant's pathways.
You can use fresh lemon juice for this, or a bottle of lemon juice from the supermarket - but if you opt for the latter, make sure there's no added sugar, or you'll just attract more ants, defeating the purpose.
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However, lemon juice isn't the sole deterrent for ants. Peppermint oil is another aroma they dislike and can be utilised in a similar manner by mixing a few drops with water and spraying the affected areas.
This concoction can also be used to freshen up your home.
Other common household items like vinegar, sugar, and baking soda can also prove useful when tackling ants in the garden. A natural repellent can be created by combining equal parts of vinegar and water, which can then be sprayed on plants and flowers.
