Caring for Your Lawn in Winter
October 4, 2017
Caring for Your Lawn in Spring
December 7, 2017
Although they are tiny, ants have the ability to completely destroy a beautiful yard. If your yard becomes heavily populated, you also are at risk of them entering your home. Once the ant hills are formed, your yard is at risk of exposed grass roots (which can kill the grass), uneven spots (making cutting your lawn a hassle), smothered grass, and dead grass due to lack of sufficient sunlight. Below are some ways to identify if ants have taken residence in your yard:
1. Black, red, yellow, or brown ants have been spotted.
2. Colonies or nests are present either in the soil of your lawn or beside your home’s foundation.
3. Spots that resemble hay more than grass.
4. Small mounds present in the soil.
If you’re certain your lawn is infested with ants, there are several methods of action you can take to remove them. These include:
1. Mowing your grass high. This is the least effective method, as the ants will still be there…you just won’t see them as easily.
2. Performing quality lawn maintenance on a regular basis. Cut blades at the correct height, feed your soil with fertilizer and water as needed.
3. Using a synthetic pesticide. Your local lawn/garden store should carry these or feel free to contact your local lawn maintenance company. Yards are deeply impacted by ants may require usage of pesticides with Bifenthrin.
4. Distributing a natural form of ant control. You’ll find that this will most likely be the cheapest option. There are many “at home” remedies that can be found online when it comes to getting rid of ants. For example, take three quarts of boiled water (while it’s still hot) and pour over the ant hill. Wait until the entire area is dry, then blend equal parts of orange rinds and water, and add to the ant hill. Another method is mixing sugar and borax in a jar lid, and then placing the lid by the ant hill. Worker ants will come out, having been attracted to the sugar mixture. They’ll try to bring it back to the ant hill; however, their trip will be cut short as the borax kills them. Be extremely cautious when using borax, however, because it can kill your lawn if it comes in direct contact with your grass.
After you’re certain your lawn is now ant-free, you can work towards planting new grass seeds to replace where the ant hills were. Make sure the area is level, then add some rich top soil before adding the seeds. Water as needed and maintain proper lawn maintenance so ants aren’t a recurring problem in your yard.
