How do we avoid ants on rhubarb??

Marie Roche
by Marie Roche

ants eating leaves on rhubarb. What should we spray on it?


  6 answers
  • Mogie Mogie on Jul 11, 2020

    1. The scent of plants such as sage, peppermint, spearmint and pennyroyal will help steer ants away from your garden without harming them.
    2. Mix 1/2-cup of apple jelly with 1 to 2 teaspoons of boric acid powder. Place the mixture in a mason jar, seal the mouth of the jar with plastic wrap, and then poke holes in the top with a toothpick. Perform this step until several mason jars are prepared, and then place them around the perimeter of your garden. Ants will enter the jars in search of the sweet jelly and perish once they consume the boric acid.
    3. Line the perimeter of your garden or the soil of any potted plants with a sprinkling of diatomaceous earth. Once the ants walk across the sharp, fine crystals within the earth, they will not be able to reach your plants.
    4. Hose each of your plants with a gentle spray of water once in the morning and once in the evening, every two days. The continual saturation of the water will force both ants and aphids to leave the garden.
    5. Sprinkle a border of finely ground cinnamon around the plant that is being eaten by the ants. Ants will not cross over the border because of cinnamon's potent smell and the texture of the powder. Chalk, talcum powder or curry powder may be substituted.


  • Cindy Cindy on Jul 11, 2020

    Hi Marie. I'm Cindy. Mix together equal parts of water and vinegar. Pour it in a spray bottle and spray it on your rhubarb plants. That should take care of those ants. Good luck Marie. I hope you're healthy and well.

    • Marie Roche Marie Roche on Jul 11, 2020

      Thanks so much Cindy. Vinegar does work miracles and will give it a try for sure. Trust you will stay safe and healthy, as well.

  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on Jul 12, 2020

    Hi Marie, hope this information helps you with your rhubarb plants.

    Why do ants seem to be nesting on my rhubarb? : Grows on You

    www.growsonyou.com › question › show › 10418-wh...


    Jun 30, 2009 - Gardening question - I have a rhubarb plant growing in a tub and have noticed that the area where the leaf joins the stalk is covered in ants.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jul 12, 2020

    Pick an area away from the rhubarb, about 3 feet. Dump some Jiffy corn bread mix on it, fresh from the box, do not bake. It will draw the ants away, killing the workers but not the queen (s). Repeat if needed. This might be the best non toxic solution.