how do i prevent ants on my lime tree???

[Stacey Libuit]

I just planted a lime tree few days ago. I see ants on it now.. How do I prevent ants coming????

[William Farr]

Howdy, Try putting a little Vaseline around the trunk. It stops the ants and it wears off without harming the tree. Try to identify why the ants are climbing into the tree. Is there a population a aphids in the tree? The ants collect and feed on the excretions from the aphids (aphid poop). Get ride of the aphids and the ants will move on. Will

[Stacey Libuit]

i did try to put vaseline around the turnk.. works for few hours.. but they still climb up again. I see the ants getting into the flowers, there is no fruit in my tree yet.. it's a baby tree from a 5 gallon container that i just took out. So, the ants wont hurt my tree?? i should just leave it alone??

[Stacey Libuit]

did u find out anything??? =)

[Chris Bocchino]

Get the ducting tape that is used to seal duct work, The stuff that actually has aluminium on the back of it. This stuff is super sticky. Take it and wrap a few rows arouns the tree with the stick side facing out, then use a bit od the tape to seal the edges so the ants cant get under the tape. This worked for me on my weeping cherry against carpenter ants, plus you get the added benefit of watching the woodpeckers eat the ants off the tape that get stuck. This tape will last about 10 days..............Hope this helps............Chris

[TAR HEEL]

......unless they are harming the tree,....let em be.Are you allergic?

[Martha Hill]

Not sure how it would work on a tree but I have had some success with el-cheapo talcum powder and the mentholated one !! It is just a buck or two at any Dollar Store !! The mentholated powder seems to work better than the other !!

[Stacey Libuit]

wal-mart has it/?? where would it at??

[Joy Williams]

GoldBond's Medicated foot powder.

[Stacey Libuit]

thanks joy!

[Stacey Libuit]

no.. i'm not.. it's just it's the first tree i plant... i didnt know if it was good or bad for my tree.... now i do just let it be.. and i dont think it's doing anything bad to it so far.... =) thanks!!

[Phil]

Find the ant's nest. Treat the nest with very hot water with a little soap. This kills ants or discourages them. Ants will farm Aphids in citrus, like humans farm dairy cows. If you can control the ants, the aphids are easy. Hot water treatment is OK in soil in the ground, if it can be applied away from the base of your plants. The heat will kill aphids. Don't cook the roots of your plants. Soapy water, from insecticidal soap or any other source will drown ants. You have to apply enough bubbly liquid to submerge the nest. In dry sandy soils this can be difficult. Also commercial growers will use Tanglefoot, a sticky barrier that halts ants when applied as a ring around the trunk. But watch out! Not a leaf can touch the ground, or anything else nearby, no weed can grow up to make contact or the ants will have a new highway to their aphid growing grounds. If you get aphids a quick blast of water will wash them off the leaves. OR go buy some ladybugs, in the evening, just past dusk, spray down the leaves of aphid infested plants with water. In the dark release the ladybugs onto the plant, as close to the ground as possible. The lady bugs will move into the foliage for cover, drink water from the wet leaves. In the morning they will find the aphids, eat their breakfast, mate and lay their eggs and fly away. A few will remain and slowly control your aphid problems. ...Phil

[Stacey Libuit]

wow... that's alot of wisdom!! thanks! thanks guys!