How can I stop ants crawling over my newly planted (well, a year ago)
buckthorn plants? They seem to be chewing at leaves, and congregate around the
branch ends as new leaves seem to be trying to grow.

I'd like to deter, not kill, and avoid nasty chemicals.

--
Cheers, Rob

On Sat, 11 Jun 2022 07:49:04 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
wrote:

>How can I stop ants crawling over my newly planted (well, a year ago)
>buckthorn plants? They seem to be chewing at leaves, and congregate around the
>branch ends as new leaves seem to be trying to grow.
>
>I'd like to deter, not kill, and avoid nasty chemicals.

They're probably being attracted to greenfly, milking them for their
sweet exudate aka honeydew. The greenfly congregate on the growing
tips of your buckthorn because the tissues there are soft and the
greenfly can get their 'teeth' into it (They don't have 'teeth' but I
can't remember what the sucking tube is called!). I doubt the ants are
chewing the leaves - that's probably collateral damage caused by the
greenfly, or possibly slugs 'n snails.

Get rid of the greenfly, and the ants won't come. The simplest
recommendation is a spray with soapy water, washing-up bowl strength.
It blocks the greenfly's breathing tubes (spiracles), and they expire.
IIRC a splash of meths into the water also helps.

If that is too chemical for you, collect ladybirds and put them on the
buckthorn, and they will eat the greenfly.

You buckthorn will grow much better without the greenfly sucking the
life out of it.

--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.

On 11 Jun 2022 at 11:06:44 BST, "Chris Hogg" <me@privacy.net> wrote:

> On Sat, 11 Jun 2022 07:49:04 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
> wrote:
>
>> How can I stop ants crawling over my newly planted (well, a year ago)
>> buckthorn plants? They seem to be chewing at leaves, and congregate around the
>> branch ends as new leaves seem to be trying to grow.
>>
>> I'd like to deter, not kill, and avoid nasty chemicals.
>
> They're probably being attracted to greenfly, milking them for their
> sweet exudate aka honeydew. The greenfly congregate on the growing
> tips of your buckthorn because the tissues there are soft and the
> greenfly can get their 'teeth' into it (They don't have 'teeth' but I
> can't remember what the sucking tube is called!). I doubt the ants are
> chewing the leaves - that's probably collateral damage caused by the
> greenfly, or possibly slugs 'n snails.
>
> Get rid of the greenfly, and the ants won't come. The simplest
> recommendation is a spray with soapy water, washing-up bowl strength.
> It blocks the greenfly's breathing tubes (spiracles), and they expire.
> IIRC a splash of meths into the water also helps.
>
> If that is too chemical for you, collect ladybirds and put them on the
> buckthorn, and they will eat the greenfly.
>
> You buckthorn will grow much better without the greenfly sucking the
> life out of it.

That's great, many thanks! I'll try the soapy water . . .
--
Cheers, Rob

In article <eap8ah5mkuo0ii61n3i3jss19bgs2bbkd7@4ax.com>,
me@privacy.net says...
>
> On Sat, 11 Jun 2022 07:49:04 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
> wrote:
>
> >How can I stop ants crawling over my newly planted (well, a year ago)
> >buckthorn plants? They seem to be chewing at leaves, and congregate around the
> >branch ends as new leaves seem to be trying to grow.
> >
> >I'd like to deter, not kill, and avoid nasty chemicals.
>
> They're probably being attracted to greenfly, milking them for their
> sweet exudate aka honeydew. The greenfly congregate on the growing
> tips of your buckthorn because the tissues there are soft and the
> greenfly can get their 'teeth' into it (They don't have 'teeth' but I
> can't remember what the sucking tube is called!). I doubt the ants are
> chewing the leaves - that's probably collateral damage caused by the
> greenfly, or possibly slugs 'n snails.
>
> Get rid of the greenfly, and the ants won't come. The simplest
> recommendation is a spray with soapy water, washing-up bowl strength.
> It blocks the greenfly's breathing tubes (spiracles), and they expire.
> IIRC a splash of meths into the water also helps.
>
> If that is too chemical for you, collect ladybirds and put them on the
> buckthorn, and they will eat the greenfly.
>
> You buckthorn will grow much better without the greenfly sucking the
> life out of it.

I used to have heavy infestations of green fly on
viburnum opulus. I hung peanut holders to attract the
bluetits to the greenfly...

Janet