Thanks for the excellent questions. Yes, ants are detrimental to the vegetable garden because ants spread pests and then tend and care for the pests in return for honey dew.

When vegetables are grown in the ground the correct way to plant them is with the seasons. In this case a gardener should clean and harvest most of the crops twice a year, once in September and again in March. After harvesting and composting the remains the next steps are to dig up the whole garden, work in soil amendment, add organic fertilizer according to package directions to the top 6-inches of the soil, rake, water thoroughly, let settle overnight, and the next day plant the garden. After planting, add a fresh layer of clean mulch on top of the ground. Use plastic mulch for crops that need extra heat such as corn and melons. Following this system as I did for many years, ants never became a problem in my vegetable garden because of the twice-a-year tilling and working of the soil. A fresh layer of organic mulch on top of the ground also tends to discourage ants.

So I am wondering if you are gardening in raised beds? I have heard of raised beds becoming infested with ants especially when the beds were too dry because gardeners have incorrectly filled them with potting soil. Potting soil does not retain enough moisture for use in a raised bed. Potting soil is designed for use in pots and containers where good drainage is essential. It dries out too quickly and easily in a raised bed. Raised beds should be filled with good quality, amended top soil and then, after planting, the ground should be kept evenly moist. Ants don’t like wet soil, they prefer to live in dry soil or under rocks or beneath the roots of plants or pavement that can give them protection.

If you find an ant hill swarming with ants in large numbers, try putting a handful of corn meal on top of the hill. In most cases the ants will be gone within 24 hours. I am told that the ants take the corn meal into their nests and a fungus that grows on it that gives out a gas that kills the nest. I am not sure, however, if this is the true scientific reason for the ants disappearing. Cornmeal is less effective when ants are scattered or on trails. It works best with ant hills. Another way to rid a vegetable garden of ants is to apply an inch or two of dry, bagged earthworm castings on top of the soil. This kills ants and many other pests. Also make sure that foliage isn’t touching the ground and allowing a pathway for the ants to cross and avoid the earthworm castings. Earthworm castings as pest control are discussed on pages 84 and 85 and in several other places in my book, and they will not harm your dog. Do not add boric acid to the cornmeal. Boric acid is poisonous and can kill dogs and humans too if to great a quantity is ingested. It should never be used as a homemade ant poison.

Regarding slugs, if you are gardening in raised beds, simply attach a strip of copper all around the top of the bed. Slugs and snails will not cross copper. Copper strips specifically designed for this purpose can be purchased in many garden supply stores. Some come complete with a sticky backing for attaching to wood, plastic, or pottery. Clean the bed of plants and dig up the ground to destroy slugs completely prior to attaching the copper and replanting the bed.

If not gardening in the ground, apply the copper strip to lawn edging and use this to completely encircle crops that are slug-magnets, such as lettuce or celery. Install the barriers immediately after planting. Purchasing the lawn edging and the copper is a one-time expense. You will be able to use it for many years. Since you are currently having a slug problem, after installing the barrier around an existing crop use traps inside to catch the pests that are already there. Upside-down grapefruit rinds and rinds of other citrus fruit make excellent traps for slugs and snails. So do boards set on low risers, inverted flower pots with a pebble under one edge. Lift these daily and scrape off and destroy the slugs and snails found inside the pot and on the bottom of the boards.

Pests such as ants and slugs can drive gardeners a bit batty, I know. Half the battle is keeping a clean garden. The other half is deciding on a regular course of action and carrying it out faithfully a day at a time. Gardeners who do this always win out in the end and the satisfaction is enormous.

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