Fire Ants and Dry Molasses

Has anyone here used dry molasses to control Fire Ants?

We have a number of raised beds and I need to seize control of the Fire Ant problem before the end of this month :~(

We have free-range chickens, Call ducks, Great Pyrenees dogs and assorted cats and I cannot use synthetic chemical controls in the raised beds anyway because I am growing our veg in them.

I found an inexpensive source for dry molasses, but even at the low price I want some testimonials before I spend $$ LOL

Interesting - a method I have no experience with but it seems to be recommended by a good many reliable sources. Also beneficial to the soil. Some favorable points in this article -

http://www.urbanharvest.org/advice/pestsdiseases/molasses.html

Yuska

Thank You!

I have, since my initial post, found Fire Ants in the smaller greenhouse and they seem to be congregated around the heaters and the electrical cords - LOL! Not good.

I will ask how they use it at the local nursery that sells the dry molasses, and then make a plan to KILL FIRE ANTS this weekend. I surely don't want to be planting my veg in the raised beds and battle the ants at the same time.

Now I need to come up with a dry application for the little GH, don't want to be electrocuted in the process.

maggie - did you find out anything from the local nursery about how they use the dry molasses? I have several fire ant mounds in plant pots in my greenhouse & am curious about what they did. Have you tried it yet, & what were your results? Samantha

Just a note...I bought the Soil Mender that the dirt doctor sells. It is dried molasses and some other things. Supposedly if you broadcast on your lawn, it will run the ants off. I put a pretty heavy dose in my composter and then mixed it up and put another significant layer on top. I went out today (I put it on yesterday and the ants have not left and don't even look slightly distressed. Maybe I didn't give it enough time, but so far, no results.

*sigh* Too bad!!!!

Well, I spread it fairly evenly (maybe 1/8 inch deep) over the fire ants in the hoophouse and in the raised beds. The ants in the raised beds did move, but are not totally gone. Ditto for the hoophouse ants. I may add some diatomaceous earth to the next application in the hoophouse.

Now that we have had 5 inches of rain and it's warming up again I will spread some more on the raised beds and make another report.

a good read for organics

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/fireant.html

Jerry

Thanks! A very good reference.