I'm new to gardening and my neighbor offered me some podocarpos gracilior trees to plant along my fence line. However, when I went to dig them up, I noticed that two of the trees were full of ants in the soil—just in the dirt and rootball, not on the trunks or leaves. I'm wondering if there's a non-toxic way to get rid of the ants, or if I should skip these trees altogether. I'd appreciate any advice!
4 Answers
Chances are, any free tree you get from a nursery will also have ants, since they're all usually kept outside. If you want those trees and they look healthy, go for it!
Ants are totally fine! Think of them as nature's little helpers. They clean up and aerate the soil, so it's not a big deal to have them around.
Honestly, you might as well leave the ants alone. If your neighbor is a block away, those ants are probably in your yard too already. Plus, the odds that there's a queen in the soil are pretty slim. Ants are great for the ecosystem; they help with pollination and keep the soil aerated.
Most likely, you'll have ants in any tree you transplant. They just come with the territory.
Are you sure they’re not fire ants? That could be a different story!
Thanks for the input! Just to clarify – by 'leave them,' do you mean leave the trees where they are, or transplant them and let the ants stay?