ants on citrus (forum)

peter starts with ...
i am a new gardener and i have 3 citrus trees (lemonade,pink grapefruit and tangelo) and i have ants all over them
is this a problem? if so how do i get rid of them?

Time: 16th October 2008 6:52pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
 
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Kath says...
Ants are a sign that you have other pest problems on your citrus, if you look closely you will notice that there are either scale insects or aphids sucking the sap from your citrus. The ants are farming these insects for their honey dew and in return the ants protect the scale and aphids from predators like lady beetles, wasps etc. If you can control the ants the predators will take care of the sap suckers. There are products available to stop the ants climbing the tree, or you can try white oil or eco oil to control the scale and aphids.

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/Eco-Oil.htm

http://www.greenharvest.com.au/pestcontrol/horticultural_glue_prod.html

http://www.greenharvest.com.au/pestcontrol/ant_info.html

Time: 17th October 2008 6:59am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Kath
Cawongla
#UserID: 2
Posts: 363
View All Kath's Edible Fruit Trees

peter says...
i have decided to use eco oil on my trees. but one has fruit and the other two have flowers. will the fruit be okay to eat?

Time: 17th October 2008 2:30pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
 
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Anonymous says...
i put eco oil on one of my plants last sunday the 19th and nothing has happened. it still has ants how many applications are required?

Time: 22nd October 2008 9:51pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
 
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Pauline says...
Another easier option, but less friendly to beneficial insects is to spray the tree with confidor.

If you google the product name for any of these types of things there should be a product sheet thingy somewhere which tells you the withholding period for eating food which has been treated.

Time: 22nd October 2008 10:50pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Pauline
Adelaide
#UserID: 1532
Posts: 293
View All Pauline's Edible Fruit Trees

peter says...
the ants are eating my flowers before they get a chance to fruit!

Time: 24th October 2008 12:55pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
 
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

Shirley says...
Keep a spray bottle of mild soapy water made from plain old laundry soap. I wander round the garden spraying shrubs, trees and vegetables with it when I see insect infestations. It's completely safe, washes away with the first rain and the insects hate the taste it puts on the foliage/fruit so they stop eating and move on. It's a short term solution I guess but it gives my citrus trees/vegies the relief to grow strong enough to survive smaller infestationsan. Works well.

Time: 27th October 2008 10:18am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Shirley2
Victoria
#UserID: 1566
Posts: 1
View All Shirley2's Edible Fruit Trees