There’s nothing quite like wandering across your lovely green lawn in bare feet. But this can quickly turn into a nasty experience if you have ants who have made a home in your patch of paradise. So, how do you get rid of ants in your grass?
Of course, there are benefits to having ants around. They eat the larvae of many common lawn pests but if you have a large infestation, it’s better to take some action to control them.
There are basically two ways you can attack this problem. Either naturally or with chemical solutions. Let’s look at both of these in more detail.
How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally
If you have pets and children roaming your garden and tumbling on the lawn, you might feel more comfortable using a natural solution to your ant problem. Here are some to try:
1. Using a Solution of Soap and Water
This is an easy and safe control method to try. Just mix a heaped tablespoon of soap flakes or dish detergent into a quart of water. Mix thoroughly and spray the solution around the ant colony. Also, spray on any ant trails that you find as the soapy mixture destroys the communication trail that ants use.
2. Using a White Vinegar and Water Solution
White vinegar is acidic which ants cannot tolerate. Just mix equal parts of white vinegar with water and spray the ant trails or around the colony. However, do this sparingly as it may damage your grass due to the high acidity level of the vinegar.
This is a perfect solution if you have bare patches where the ants are congregating or to use on paths and pavers, rather than straight on your prize lawn.
3. Using Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized skeletons of microscopic algae (diatoms). It will actually kill the ants when they walk over it. However, it’s perfectly safe for humans and pets.
Just sprinkle the earth around ant colonies and trails or pour it down any ant mounds that you find. DE dehydrates the ants by penetrating their waxy layer and absorbing their moisture.
Make sure you only use food-grade DE as it’s safe for both pets and children. NEVER use industrial grade DE which is commonly used in pool filters.
As a bonus, diatomaceous earth is full of minerals and nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Therefore, it will feed your lawn at the same time.
4. Using a Salt and Water Solution
Because common household salt is a desiccant, it will dehydrate the ants, therefore, killing them. Mix together a strong solution of salt and water and spray around ant trails. But you need to be careful, as the salt can also kill off some grass.
Better still, make up the solution and pour into any ant holes that you find. This will avoid getting the salt solution onto any blades of grass.
5. Using Baby Powder or Baking Soda
Another easy way to get rid of ants in your grass is to sprinkle the infested area with baby powder or baking soda. This is effective because the fine particles in the powder clog the ant’s spiracles, thereby depriving them of oxygen.
6. Using a Solution of Borax and Sugar
This is a good solution if you have some ant hills in your lawn and don’t have any pets or children roaming around. Mix equal parts of sugar and borax in a shallow container. The lid of a jar is perfect for this. Place the lid next the ant hill.
The ants will be attracted to the sugar in the mixture and will take it down to the colony. Consequently, the borax will kill the ants in the colony.
Remember, not to sprinkle the borax directly onto the lawn as it will kill the grass.
How to Get Rid of Ants Using Chemicals
There are many proprietary solutions available on the market that you can use to control your ant problem. Generally, these are available in a granular of dust form. Bear in mind, that the granular forms need water to activate them. Therefore, water your lawn after applying those.
These type of solutions are best used to spot treat any ant mounds or colonies that you find. Always read the labels on any products that you purchase to check whether they’re safe to use around pets and children. If not, you may have to restrict movement in the areas that you’re treating for a few days.
Make Sure Your Lawn is Lush and Healthy
You can easily avoid having an ant problem in the first place if you practice good lawn maintenance. This means keeping your lawn healthy and free from stress.
Therefore, make sure you mow to the correct height regularly and water when it needs it. Also, make sure that you follow a regular feeding schedule to ensure your lawn is growing at its optimum.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why do I have ants in my grass?
Ants prefer to live in hot and dry areas of your lawn. They will also feed on grass seeds and take them back to their colony. The soil in the ant hills can smother and kill your grass. Therefore, keeping you lawn well watered will help to avoid an ant problem.
How do I get rid of ants in my lawn without killing the grass?
Check some of the natural solutions above such as using a spray of soap and water which won’t harm your grass if used sparingly. Using natural soap flakes is also better than using dish soap.
Will baking soda kill ants?
Yes, the acidity in the baking soda will kill the ants. Just use it sparingly as too much acid can also kill your grass. Once you get rid of ants in your grass, apply a balancing fertilizer to your lawn to counteract any left over traces of acid.
