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 Post subject: Fire Ant Control
PostPosted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:58 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:29 am
Posts: 1
Location: Midlothian, Texas
I am looking for an improvement in Fire Ant Control. I no longer have any horses or other livestock so manure tea is not available. I have been using the following:

I save all of my Citrus (Orange and Grapefruit) Peelings and soak them in water to make a Citrus Tea. I use a 100 lb. Swimming Pool Chlorine Container. I fill about 1/3 to 1/2 with Citurs Peelings and then fill to the top with water. I let this sit for one or two months or longer while stiring weekly. When this is finished, I strain using my Pool Dip Net and then put the liquid into gallon jugs which I fill about 3/4 full. When I am ready to use this, I fill each jug up with cheap white Vinegar and shake well.

For a large Fire Ant Hill I have to use a whole gallon, but it seems to work pretty well. Sometimes, if I don't get all the edges, the ants will start to develop on the edge. Also, sometimes, they will just move over and make another hill. Usually a second application will take care of things. Lately I have been adding a very small amount of Dish Soap to each gallon. This seems to make it work better, but I am wondering if this might get away from trying to be organic. Anyway, I am sure that it is much much better than using the Chemical Fire Ant Baits.

If anyone knows of an improved way to kill Fire Ants, please let me know.
My goal is to come up with an improved Fire Ant Killer using free (or almost free) stuff.

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mjm


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 Post subject: Re: Fire Ant Control
PostPosted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:53 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 7:37 am
Posts: 127
Location: Denton,TEXAS
mjm wrote:
I am looking for an improvement in Fire Ant Control....


Well, it's not free, but I have to say I've been impressed with this stuff:

http://www.agorganics.com/products/Fire ... 2/171.html

You can get it at Lowes.

I used to mix a gallon of citrus oil and other things. It mostly worked, but was getting to be a hassle. For big infestations often more than one application was necessary.

Then I thought I'd try this stuff. Followed the instructions and just lightly sprinkle a little bit around the mound in either the morning or evening. Usually by 24 hours a vacant mound is all that's left. I don't think they just move elsewhere because after the last application, I didn't have any for almost two months. Sure is a lot less hassle.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:28 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:22 pm
Posts: 1
Location: Dalas
I have this problem often. When rains are heavy and you are in between them & a lake, things tend to get saturated. Black Clay being NO EXCEPTION.

The fire ants always seem to build new piles above ground. I absolutely swear by the following inexpensive recipe.

One quart spray bottle

One once of orange oil. More is too pricey, I definitely don't have the time to brew it.

One to 1 1/2 ounce Garret Juice or Mollases & vinegar. Again whichever is cheaper or easier for you.

Last, one of the few things that almost ANYBODY can grow and almost nobody eats al the produce of are Hot Chile Peppers. They are cheap to buy or easy to brew. An ounce to two will do.

All in all, three to four ounces or so of liduids. Some cheap, some available to buy very reasonably priced. Then top it off with water. Spray tight. If I don't the inexpensive sprayers I use get clogged. I think that these less expensive recipes are equally effective in my experience.

I just killed a mound 12 inches long , three inches off the ground, and 4 inches long with < 1/2 of a quart bottle. When I over used the effective ingredients in years past I schorched my grass. It killed alright! Yestereday it killed the moud from the time I went to work until I returned home.
I eve used some very old orange oil that was transparrant. It worked. I don't know about soap. Try this and please tell me about how it worked.

JRFOX


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 Post subject: Re: Fire Ant Control
PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:49 am 
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Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 9:10 am
Posts: 1278
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
mjm wrote:
I am looking for an improvement in Fire Ant Control...My goal is to come up with an improved Fire Ant Killer using free (or almost free) stuff.


The best thing to do is to improve the quality of your soil. It is amazing what dry molasses at 15 pounds per 1000 square feet and horticultural cornmeal at 20 pounds per 1000 square feet can do. I can not tell you how many people have had success in eradicating fire ants in this manner. I do not know how much land you are trying to treat, but these two amendments are relatively inexpensive.

I have used just the horticultural cornmeal on mounds and the fire ants have died. They starve to death, so it is not an instant kill.

I do hope you are thoroughly cleaning the chlorine from the utensils before you use them to put stuff on the ground.

The main thing you need to do is to improve the quality of the soil. When the soil is in good health, the biological activity is improved. Microbes and beneficial nematodes flourish. Fire ants stay away. :wink:

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Nadine Bielling
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Gardener Exchange Forum

The Laws of Ecology:
"All things are interconnected. Everything goes somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Nature bats last." --Ernest Callenbach


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