Use a sun tea made from ciggerette butts, I know it sounds horrible but ants hate nicotine and will leave the plant in droves. It also acts a light fertilizer as well.

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc

I didn't know that nicotine is an ant repellent! Next to my son's porch there's an old coffee tin that's used as a butt can, cuz they don't allow smoking in the house. When it rains & water builds up in the can, it starts looking pretty rank... nice to know that there's actually a use for it!
Now, would a person use the "tea" in a spray bottle, or just pour it on the ground under the plant, to get rid of ants? I have a couple flower beds where there always seems to be ants & I'd love to drive them out of there, but hate to use commercial sprays around my plants. (Are there certain plants that nicotine tea would be harmful to?)

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