Black Pepper Is The Secret To Banishing Pesky Ants Out Of Your Garden

Anyone who gardens has surely encountered ants at some point. That is because North America is home to roughly 1,000 species of ants. Some of these are just pesky pests, while others are dangerous types of ants. While there are some insects you shouldn't kill because of the benefits they bring to your garden, few gardeners feel that way about ants. Whether it is because they hope to avoid their stings or tire of them destroying the roots of their garden plants, most gardeners' goal is to keep their area ant-free.

When it comes from banishing these tiny insects from gardens, some will do whatever it takes. However, others prefer chemical-free solutions, such as plants that repel pests. There are also a number of common household and kitchen items that repel ants without the use of harsh chemical products. To that list, gardeners can add a common spice, as black pepper is the secret to banishing ants out of your garden.

While using black pepper to kill ants may sound like an old folk tale, Texas A&M University conducted a study which proved the spice's effectiveness at not just deterring, but actually killing ants. In fact, the study shows black pepper is an incredibly effective spice for ant control. So, if you are looking for an all-natural solution for solving an ant problem in your garden, look no further than the black pepper you most likely already have in your kitchen.

There are a number of ways to use black pepper to banish ants from your garden. The method which was used in the study conducted by Texas A&M was a black pepper spray, which consisted of a mixture of black pepper and bottled water. A typical black pepper spray solution is composed of a teaspoon of black pepper per cup of water. Once you've mixed the desired amount, allow it to sit overnight. It is helpful to strain the solution to keep the pepper from clogging your spray bottle. Once the solution is ready, spray it in areas where ants have been seen or directly on an ant bed.

You can also skip the mixing and prep portion altogether by using ground pepper straight from the canister. Sprinkle ground black pepper around the perimeter of your garden, near the base of plants ants are targeting, on ant hills, and over ant trails. One other way to use black pepper to keep ants out is to incorporate some black pepper plants into your garden. While the plant itself will help create an ant barrier, you can also crush the black peppers as they become ripe and sprinkle them throughout your garden.