If you do not mind sacrificing fifty ants, gather them and put them in the vitamiser with a couple of cups of water and smash them to the smallest possible size. Allow to ferment for 24 hours, sieve and spray with a trigger spray to the roses and the ground around them. May need to be done up to three times and should protect for at least a year. If no vitamiser, crush with a spoon on a diner plate, collecting all solids and liquids. May need fermenting for longer. Dowse to determine. An old stocking will do to sieve the liquid after fermenting.
Gil Dan & Laurel deGrassi wrote: > Dear List, > We have some friends who are growing roses (at home) in southern Brasil > and are looking for a way to protect the plants from the leaf cutter > ants that proliferate there. They tried once before and the ants > definitely have a taste for rose leaves and petals. They do not want to > use poisons or anything that could kill the ants, like 'stickem'. Two > suggestions have been to plant pennyroyal around the roses or to spray > the plants with a soap or chili spray. As it rains a lot there, the > latter may be a time intensive option. Any comments on these methods of > repellant or suggestions on info resources we could check out. > Thank you, > Dan & Laurel deGrassi
