Ants on My Blooming Lemon Trees
By Morning Girl
@salonga (27775)
Philippines
October 19, 2015 10:07pm CST
My Lemon trees have started blooming. The first time I saw the flowers, I jumped with joy. I have always been dreaming of growing my own and harvesting the fruits from my own backyard.
Now, I am looking forward to seeing my lemon trees filled with fruits. But, the ants came and started to feast on the flowers. I have started spraying water with soap and ants were killed but the next morning, new ants came. Grrrr!
I need new natural ways to exterminate ants. Can anyone please suggest any natural way of getting rid of these ants?
Now, I am looking forward to seeing my lemon trees filled with fruits. But, the ants came and started to feast on the flowers. I have started spraying water with soap and ants were killed but the next morning, new ants came. Grrrr!
I need new natural ways to exterminate ants. Can anyone please suggest any natural way of getting rid of these ants?12 people like this
15 responses
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
20 Oct 15
Are the ants actually harming the flowers? They may just be after the nectar and they may incidentally be pollinating the flowers. I have never heard of ants as pollinators but it is possible.
Of course, if your trees are in pots, then the ants may try to build nests in the pots, which would undoubtedly make it less easy for the roots to work efficiently even if it didn't destroy them.
You should try to find out where the ants are coming from and attack the source.
4 people like this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
20 Oct 15
Ye, they are harming the flowers, they are feeding on the nectar causing the flowers to fall off. They are not pollinating like butterflies do. Fortunately, they have not built nests on the pot so you are right I will have to look for the main source.
2 people like this
Hmm , i think 
@LadyDuck (458017)
• Switzerland
20 Oct 15
@SIMPLYD Here I am my friend, here is what I do to save my sweet gardenia flowers from the ants @salonga
Sprinkle crushed mint around the base of the tree
Mix an equal amount of borax and sugar and place this around the base of the plant, this mixture will kill any ant that eats it.
I hope this can help.
5 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
21 Oct 15
If you have wood ash, you can sprinkle that.
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
21 Oct 15
Wood ash! I saw wood ash in my sisters house. I will try your suggestion. I enjoy getting the suggestions and wanna try all to see which is the most effective,
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
22 Oct 15
@allknowing I do avoid chemicals, I maintain organic gardening only.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
21 Oct 15
@salonga You may have to sacrifice this first lot of flowers but once you eradicate the ants you will get fresh flowers. There are insecticides that can be sprayed but I am not in favour of chemicals.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
20 Oct 15
I know a very natural pesticide, put some water and very spicy Jalapeños or any super hot chili available in your area inside a blender and spray that liquid to your plants. All of those bugs including the ants will leave.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
20 Oct 15
aint they jest cute?? i've got some lemon twigs...which i grew from seed this summer. they stand 'bout 4" tall 'n i've hopes they survive 'n produce one day fer me (though they'll need to remain in pots coz we've winter here). 's fer the ants? if they've not nested in the soil, ya can put a thin layer 'f cookin' oil 'round the rim 'f the pots 'n 't the bottom 's well. it'll deter 'em.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
20 Oct 15
@salonga yer welcome 'n i hope it helps to keep 'em at bay fer ya. i know the sadness 'f seein' somethin' ya tended so carefully to, watched with joy 's blossoms formed - jest to be destroyed by one'f mother natures critters.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
20 Oct 15
You need to find the source of the ants to get rid of them. Look for the ant hill and kill it to stop the ants on your tree. When I have ants outside my home I love to use vinegar on the ant hill to kill them and stop them coming in my home.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
20 Oct 15
@salonga i'm glad you received so many suggestions. since you have 4 pots, maybe try one suggestion per tree?
do you think lemon trees survive in a hot urban area? do they prefer sunlight or shade?
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
20 Oct 15
Actually, my friend was able to grow lemon through seeds from lemon fruit she bought from the market, but it will take years before they grow to bear fruit, so I bought grafted lemon trees from Mahogany in Tagaytay City. I bought 4 trees at PHP250 each and after more than 3 months, they started blooming already.
2 people like this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
20 Oct 15
I surely will post photos should the flowers survive to become fruits.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
8 Nov 15
I would think the ants are pollinating your blooms. You might look it up on line to see what pollinators are found on Lemon trees. I just looked it up and depending on the kind of lemon tree some don't need pollination. Some blooms do it themselves. How cool is that? I guess I should have read the comments before leaving one.
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
8 Nov 15
It is obvious they are not pollinating but just sucking the nectar of flowers to the point of destruction. One of the trees just lost all the flowers. The other trees I was able to save by getting rid of the ants . The flowers have matured to fruits already. I am very happy and very thankful to those who gave me the tips.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40054)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 15
I use a natural ant spray that contains peppermint oil. You might look for something like that!
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
20 Oct 15
@DeborahDiane, thank you so much, I will search for that kind of spray in the market. I discovered ants are also in my other plants so I have to do every thing possible.
@vickyrose (2235)
• Cooma, Australia
20 Oct 15
I can see that it's on a pot, maybe get a basin fill it up with water and put the pot on top, ants can't swim...
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
21 Oct 15
Thank you for your suggestion. I am trying every suggestion given here.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
20 Oct 15
lol, I hate being bitten too. I want to be the exterminator myself.
