How Can Ants Pollinate Squash?
WouterBesides being a food source, ants can also help in your garden. They do not only help protect honeydew-producing insects, they also help protect your squash from predators. And ants also play a key role in the fertilization process. Ants also move aphids from one plant to another. They also feed on plant debris and rotten fruit.
If you have aphids on your squash, you can kill them with insecticidal soap. The soap is safe for children, pets and plants. You can also spray aphids with a garden hose. You can also attract ants with sweet-smelling flowers.
Besides protecting the squash from predators, ants can also help you out with fertilizing. Ants are attracted to the honeydew produced by aphids. They also aerate the soil. Soil should always be moist.
You can use natural repellents such as garlic, mint, chili pepper and cinnamon to keep ants away. But these are not enough to completely rid your garden of them. If you have a large number of ants, you may have to resort to a more serious method of pest control.
Ants can be controlled by using baits. Ant baits can be bought in the form of fresh baits, fresh bait stations or ant traps. Place baits at strategic locations near evidence of nests. If you have a large ant colony, you may have to treat your garden for weeks before the ants are gone.
Another way to control ants is by hand. This is especially important if you want to get an early harvest of squash. You can do this by hand, with a little bit of effort.
