Hey, Well as mentioned in my greeting post I new to gardening and have been brought into this subject due to buying out house a couple of years ago, so I am looking to the internet to provide the help needed. So here we go, I have 2 Grapevines which are now in there 3rd season (I hope I have cut them correctly after reading some articles on the topic). They are still surviving so that's a good sign. My current problem is ants, the vine have them crawling all over them is this an issue I should worry about as I do not want to spray them.
Ants are not good. I don't know what to do about them. I have heard that if you grind oranges and put the pulp in the ant hills they will not come, but I haven't tried it. Those little ants will eat the grapes and the leaves. They are in my mint. I think I will spray some places. I moved some rocks and found ants and larvae. I'm sorry I can't help more. Dooley
An organic way to get rid of ants is clove oil Whilst ants are not a pest and do some benefit in the garden. Most people do not like an ant setting up house under their patio or in their lawn. A sure fire way to get rid of them is mix a small bottle of clove oil (from the chemist) in a large watering can with a rose sprinkler. Quickly water this over the area the ants have set up home ........ and stand back! First you will see the flying ants leaving the nest in droves, the soldier ants will follow them on foot. Tried tested and never failed. 8) Bugs
My very faverite bug repellant is this: Grind 2 heads (not cloves) of garlic in a food processor real fine. Take 1 cup CHEAP oil (any kind) and put the garlic and oil in a spray bottle and let it stew in the sun for a few days until really garlicky (ummmm...). Then add 1 small bottle tobasco sauce and enough water to make it liquidy enough to spray. Spray the ant hills and any other bug hills. The tobasco will kill them, the garlic will keep them away. Works every time. For mosquitos - take 2 heads ground garlic and mix with water and 1/2cup LEMON dishwashing soap in your 50 gal sprayer and spray around the area you don't want skeeters, buildings, sidewalks, cars, everything - they'll stay away, they really don't like the garlic.
Grapes don't need frequent light watering, but they do like to be deeply watered now and then - Give it a good, deep soaking and then let it be until the ground really starts looking pretty dry. Drip irrigation is best for them, if you can do it - I just use a long drip hose that wanders around my arbor and every now and then I turn it on and just let it drip for a long time. Good luck!
