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Stopping ants climbing cherry tree

Lynda 5Lynda 5 Posts: 22
in Problem solving

Hi all you lovely gardeners, I am trying to find a way to stop the ants climbing my cherry tree.  I have used a grease band last year, but they found a way underneath it, so I tried grease eg vasoline type. This worked for a time, but found that I had to renewing it often. I try not to use manufactured chemicals as I would like to keep my garden as environmentally friendly as possible  Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks for any help you can offer me.

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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    You could try making your own Vaseline substitute out of beeswax and olive oil:

    http://www.littlehouseliving.com/homemade-vaseline.html

    I can't vouch for it's efficacy regarding whether ants would have similar trouble clambering over it, so you'd have to try it and see.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114

    Why do you want to stop the ants climbing the tree?

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    They often 'farm' aphids by carrying nymphs from other plants, up the trunk of the tree and to the youngest leaves.  It's quite a sight to see them at it.  Unfortunately it often results in quite a bit of damage to the young leaves.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Lynda 5Lynda 5 Posts: 22

    Hi Edd, where can I get Blackstrap molasses from as I would to try this product, also what is the ratio mixture of water to molasses.  thanks for your help

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114

    You can buy treacle in any supermarket.  Not Blackstrap Molasses admittedly, but easily obtainable.

  • Lynda 5Lynda 5 Posts: 22

    To Edd, thank you for your tip concerning the molasses, to date no ant and no aphids are climbing my cherry tree.  I will keep a check and apply again if needed.

  • otnorot but just call me Billotnorot but just call me Bill Posts: 311

    Try white vinegar, cinnamon powder,Ants do not like the taste of cucumbers,Table salt,mint.

    Bill

  • Dec TDec T Posts: 1

    Over the years I had a cherry tree that was being eaten away by ants.

    This year, I cleared and raked the ground around the tree. I then applied ash from the fire place to the bark to a height of about two feet. The effect on the ants was that it seemed to disorientate them and I killed them as I found them.

    Previously, they had been black “eggs” on the back of leaves. These infected leaves were now much less numerous and I plucked off those that I found.

    At the moment there are very few ants and they seem to be much smaller in size. The tree now has a normal vigorous growth. I have only had to apply the ash once as it seems to have stuck to the bark.

     

     

  • Jim MacdJim Macd Posts: 750
    Edd wrote (see)
    Blackstrap Molasses encourages little microorganisms 

    and the ants hate that. Mix with water and spray the base of the tree.

    Regards

    Edd

     

    Do you mean Treacle? Isn't that the same thing?

     

  • Lynda 5Lynda 5 Posts: 22

    Hi everyone, I have been using the molasses on the tree for quite a few weeks, unfortunately I have noticed that the ants seems to have grown tolerant to the mixture And are again starting to leave the aphid larvae again.

    I would like to try the ash, but at present I don't have any, so I will try the white vinegar next and also ask my neighbour for his ashes as I know that they have a fire going today.

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