Monday, July 6, 2009

Gardening Books and Cutter Ants

Gardening Books

     While watering this evening, I wondered if collecting gardening books was a little like collecting diet books. Is it a postponement of the inevitable? Does it keep one in a state of fantasy?

      The day I bought this next book in New Normal, at a Half Priced Book Store near the hospital,  I had really high, lofty rose hopes. My roses were going to explode with supernaturally beautiful blooms.

IMGP0020

     That was the fantasy. The reality is…

                              CUTTER ANTS.    

There is not a single chapter on cutter ants in any of my gardening books.

cutter ants

     This is their All You Can Eat Buffet table.  They have now stripped 6 of my rose bushes.

     We have tried everything.  I even tried to track down a product called Volcano, recommended to me by Miss Dixie in French Lique.  This nice gentleman I called at a feed and seed store in Jasper, Texas said, “No m’am. They don’t make that anymore.”

     cutter ants2

     I have enlisted my small band of troops.  My husband has gone out at night to track them back to their bed. He has dusted and sprayed.  I can almost hear them laughing.

     My father’s comment, after he tried one of his home remedies?

     “Sorry little devils,” (an expression he usually reserves for the IRS) .

     Any suggestions?

17 comments:

Stacey said...

I don't think we have cutter ants. I'm glad!

kate said...

Hope all is going well on your end!!! Please
join us for Tea Time Tues July 9th
See you soon
kate

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Hi Laura...
I've heard of them but have no idea whatsoever what you could do. We have millions of those tiny little sugar ants...and are constantly invaded. They kill the plants by burrowing down into their roots and makeing their home. Watering the plant has little effect and I have all sort of sprays and powders. I think they are FOFL at us too...so don't feel bad!
Wow..those are bad news..cutter ants!!
Good luck. I hope you find something soon.

trash talk said...

You may have already tried this, but I check at A&M and research had been done on Amdro Ant Block with some success. I also looked in my Neil Sperry book with no luck. Hope you get the sorry little devils!
Debbie

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Laura...I have something called Ant B Gon Dust..and it says for Carpenter Ants. Says for Ants and Carpenter Ants. Is that anything like Cutter Ants?
Says they get it on their legs and carry it back to their nest...so far it has worked for me but no idea about Carpenter Ants..or Cutter Ants. It is put out by Ortho.
I just got this stuff and thought I would go out and look at the container. Just names those two Ants...

Kelly said...

I had to give up my roses years ago. We don't have cutter ants -- at least I don't think -- but we have Japanese beatles and they eat roses like there's no tomorrow.

Maybe your gardening books and diet books are like my cookbooks. I love them. I read them all the time. I just don't cook.

Designs on 47th Street said...

How very frustrating for you! I am not familiar with cutter ants and I am very glad for that. I'm sorry I have no advice but hopefully other bloggers can.

I love that first picture on this post. Those colors all look so gorgeous together.

Jo said...

Sorry, I'm no help either.I don't think I've actually ever heard of cutter ants. I've got something munching away in my herb garden. I've done the whole organic thing since I use my herb garden to cook with but now I'm taking the stand of it's me against them and I'm going to win ~ who cares if my family gets sick? I'll have won the blue ribbon against bugs! :)

I hope you find an answer soon.

JO

The Stylish House said...

Laura,
Their not so distant cousins are currently residing in my garden and are the bane of its existence! I have attempted many products just short of Agent Orange to no avail. If you find a solution please pass it on.
Your new garden book is lovely!
Cathy

Dixie said...

dang-it! No more volcano! wonder if they replaced it with something else... (wonder why they quit making it!) well, i'm off the Texas A&M site to see what I can find... if I find anything... you'll be the first to know! yikes! your dad is right... those little buggers will devastate your garden!

Dixie said...

dang-it all! Volcano pulled due to possibility of ground water contamination!

now they suggest... Spray plants with insecticide and pray the little buggers die...

I think it's time to research "plants that cutter ants don't like to eat"!

Anonymous said...

You might try beneficial nematodes. No promises. Cutter ants are the very worst, their nest mcan be far, far away from where you see them.

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/214/

Unknown said...

I hope you find a solution soon!

Domestic Designer said...

I wish I could help but I have a similar problem with no solution. Hope someone has a suggestion!
DD

Deanna Bland Hiott PhD, MSN, RN said...

Laughing..." sorry little devils..." so funny but sorry for your loss. I love gardening too. That would tear me up. I hope we don't have those around here....

cherry said...

Here's my favorite way to get rid of ants..

Instant grits.. Sprinkle the grits over the mound the ants eat the grits then the grits expand and blow up inside them.

take that you "sorry little devils" ..lol

Tootsie said...

I have loads of ants...well HAD...I took sunlight dish soap...(just the lemon stuff) and squirted the area that they had to take to get to my plants...it seems to be working. The dish soap will not harm the plants...but it does hurt them...it breaks down their bodies! It is kind of like using insecticidal soap...only cheaper. You can use it in a spray bottle too...I was just desperate enough to get rid of them that I squeezed it out full strength.
If you can figure out where they live...dump a bunch there too!! good luck with this...ants are awful! Last year they dropped off a load of aphids that ravaged my greenhouse seedlings and tortured me! I think I have got them kind of under control now...next...to sneak to my neighbors house to rid his garden...as they keep visiting mine!

 

design + development by kelly christine studio