Ants, just like any other insects and garden organisms, are beneficial to mother nature. They help aerate the soil, indicate that your garden has an aphid infestation, and can even help with the pollination of certain plants. Ants help control other pests by eating them and help in the decomposition of organic matter like leaves and grass clippings.
Unlike some other pests, ants do not directly attack your plants. However, they do ‘farm’ aphids so definitely take action if you find the presence of both insects!
Most of the time, ants live in a colony with their queen deep in the soil, and they mostly cause no harm to ornamental plants.
Nothing ruins a relaxing moment in the garden quite like an army of ants marching across your baby sage plant While ants play an important role in the ecosystem, they can quickly get out of control and become a nuisance to plants Baby sage is especially vulnerable to ant infestations that can stress the plant, stunt its growth, or even kill it.
If you’ve noticed ants crawling on your baby sage, don’t panic. With some simple, safe methods, you can get rid of ants and protect your plant. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover smart strategies to banish ants from your baby sage for good.
Why Ants Are Attracted to Baby Sage
Before diving into ant control, it helps to understand what draws ants to baby sage in the first place. Here are some of the common reasons ants may flock to your plant
-
Sugary sap – Ants love the naturally sweet sap within sage leaves and stems. Damaged areas ooze with sap, attracting hordes of ants.
-
Aphids – Ants feed on the honeydew secreted by aphids. If aphids are present on your sage, ants will follow to access this sweet treat.
-
Moist soil – Ants need water to survive. Baby sage’s frequently irrigated soil offers an ideal hydration station.
-
Shelter – The nooks and crannies around sage plants provide perfect hiding spots for ants to build nests.
Dangers Ants Pose for Baby Sage
While a few ants here and there are harmless, a sizable infestation can significantly impact your baby sage’s health. Extreme ant activity can:
- Stress plants and inhibit growth.
- Transmit viral or fungal diseases between plants.
- Spread aphids, scale, and other harmful pests.
- Destroy roots, leaves, and tender stems with excessive sap feeding.
- Tunnel through potting soil, damaging roots.
If ant populations aren’t controlled, your baby sage will struggle to thrive. The good news? There are simple, natural methods to get ants under control.
8 Ways to Get Rid of Ants on Baby Sage
Ready to get rid of those pesky ants for good? Here are smart, safe strategies to try:
1. Remove Food Sources
Eliminate anything that attracts ants to start. Clean up any spilled soil, fertilizer, or debris around plants that ants may feed on. Prune away aphid-infested sections and sticky sap. This removes the ant buffet!
2. Adjust Watering Habits
Let the soil dry out slightly between waterings to make the habitat less hospitable for ants. Target water at the base of plants, avoiding the leaves and stems.
3. Apply Diatomaceous Earth
This powdery substance is deadly to ants but harmless to plants. Dust it around the base of your baby sage and any potential ant entry points.
4. Make a Peppermint Spray
Ants detest the smell of peppermint. Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle. Mist around your sage to deter ants.
5. Use Ant Baits
Baits lure worker ants to bring poison back to the colony and queen. Look for borax or boric acid-based baits labeled for outdoor use. Apply carefully around sage plants.
6. Block Access Points
Seal up any gaps or holes in garden walls, driveway cracks, etc that ants may use to reach your sage. This prevents new colonies from invading.
7. Grow Mint Nearby
Mint’s pungent scent naturally repels ants. Plant spearmint, catmint, or other varieties bordering your sage for an aromatic ant barrier.
8. Invite Ant Predators
Attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and green lacewings that feed on ants. You can also introduce insect-killing nematodes to soil.
Making Your Baby Sage Less Ant-Friendly
The most effective long-term solution is modifying your garden habitat to make it less ant-friendly. Here are some key tips:
-
Grow baby sage in containers on stands or pavers to prevent direct access to soil.
-
Choose dry, sandy potting mixes that drain quickly after watering.
-
Space baby sage plants far apart to limit sheltered hiding spots for ants.
-
Keep garden areas around sage free of weeds, mulch, and dense ground cover.
-
Clean up fallen leaves, organic matter, and other debris regularly.
-
Avoid excess fertilizing which can cause rapid, tender growth ants love.
When to Take Emergency Action
In most cases, the methods above will safely rid your baby sage of a standard ant problem. However, if you notice:
- Large ant mounds at the sage’s base
- Rapid wilting or dieback
- Tunnels damaging the sage’s roots
- Major aphid or scale infestations
- Thousands of ants swarming the plant
It’s time to take emergency action. In these severe cases, contact a pest control professional for stronger chemical ant treatments. Leaving a major infestation unchecked can kill your sage.
Prevent Ants from Returning
Banishing ants today is only half the battle – you need to prevent future invasions. Here are some tips:
-
Regularly scout for signs of ant activity and treat immediately if spotted.
-
Remove nearby weeds, debris, and alternate food sources.
-
Ensure garden drainage is adequate and avoid excessive watering.
-
Seal any openings in walls, pavement, etc ants could use.
-
Refresh diatomaceous earth around plants every 1-2 weeks.
-
Trim away new sage growth ants could hide under.
-
Plant a “border patrol” of pungent herbs like mint or tansy.
With diligence and early intervention, you can keep ants away from your baby sage for good. No more flicking ants off your peaceful plant – just relaxation and tranquility in your garden. Give these methods a try and outsmart those pesky ants!
Using Regular Chalk to Confuse and Repel Ants
This method mostly works by repelling instead of killing the ants. A study done on ants says that they communicate using scents and following the other ants’ trail. You can crush classroom chalk and pour the powder around the area you do not want the ants to cross or simply draw a line.
The chalk’s powdery texture will impact the ant’s sense of touch and cause them to be confused as to which trail was used by the other ants.
Some experts say that chalk is made from the crushed shells of some marine animals, which makes it rich in calcium carbonate, a known ant repellent.
One of the main benefits of using chalk is that it is not harmful either to the ants, you, or your pets, meaning that you can keep the ants in your garden to help with pollination and aerate the soil, and keep them from your home to avoid harm to you, your family and your pets.
It is also readily available and cheap. All you have to do is ensure that it’s not blown away by the wind and if it is, keep adding more of the powder. If you run out of chalk, you can use baby powder too.
If you use this method, it is key that you do not confuse classroom chalk with ant chalk, which is a chemical insecticide and can cause harm to your family members or pets.
They can even be a mostly harmless addition to a veggie garden, provided you’re not growing something they’re prone to going after like:
- Okra blossoms
- Potato roots
- Watermelon fruit
- Any other sweet fruit, especially in hot weather
Due to their rapid multiplication, these insects might become too many for you to manage, and they might spread close to where you live. Fire ants are especially bad about inflicting pain by biting you, your family members, or even your pets.
The colony might also play a role in increasing other garden pests aside from aphids like scale, whitefly, and mealybug, which also make sweet secretions and are attracted to sweet things just like ants are.
When it gets to this point where the ants are causing more harm than good, it’s best to get rid of them. To effectively remove ants from your garden, use a method that will affect not only the ants but also their queen.
How to Remove Ants from Potted Plants
FAQ
Do ants eat sage plants?
How do I get rid of ants on my plants without killing the plant?
What can I spray on my plants to get rid of ants?