Gardeners told to use £1.10 kitchen staple to stop ants from coming into homes
An expert has shared a natural method to stop ants in their tracks this summer, so you can protect your garden from the bugs without using chemicals
While having ants in your garden might not be overtly harmful, they're known to be a nuisance that could potentially cause damage.
In fact, they're notorious for encouraging pest infestations and disrupting plants - and they can also create large mounds or hills that create uneven surfaces and interfere with mowing. Fortunately, there is a natural method that is known to create a barrier between your garden and ants - and this "tried and true" tip reportedly works with minimum fuss.
With summer just around the corner, many green-fingered Brits will be doing all they can to ensure a blooming garden and are turning to natural methods to help defend their plants and their hard work from critters. A gardening expert has explained how a cheap household item can work as a natural barrier to help stop ants ruining your garden.
Gardening expert Tammy Sons spoke to GB News and shared her natural solutions for ant control: cinnamon, reports the Express. She said: "I respond to ants attempting to take my fruit and vegetables by using tried-and-true methods that always work."
You can create a natural barrier by using diatomaceous earth or cinnamon around your vulnerable plants that's been hailed as a "cost-effective and safe solution to deter ants", Sons said.
Another of her top tips to help banish ants from your garden includes other common items found in your kitchen. She said: "My favourite unique approach to keeping ants away from my garden beds involves spreading citrus peels and brewed coffee grounds around the area."
She pointed out that this green method serves as both an ant repellent and a brilliant way to recycle kitchen waste, explaining that "ants dislike the particular scent which doubles as a fantastic method to recycle kitchen waste".
When it comes to protecting fruit trees, Sons advocates using a sticky barrier insect trap, a tactic that deters ants without resorting to harsh chemicals.
She stressed the need for a garden to be a haven for plants but not for ants, stating: "Your gardening space should welcome plant growth while remaining unattractive to ants."
The expert also noted that small lifestyle changes can have a big impact without breaking the bank, adding: "Adopting minimal lifestyle changes produces significant results with very little financial investment,".
Gardening gurus recommend a mix of preventative measures, natural deterrents, and targeted ant control methods for maintaining a garden free of ants.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Brits are giving away up to £29 billion worth of work a year
A poll of 2,000 adults in full or part-time employment found those who have a lunchbreak typically take only 70 per cent of their allotted time – and those who don't take their full break end up skipping it entirely twice per week. For someone in full-time employment, who works an average of 233 days per year and based on the average full-time salary, this is effectively £1,012 worth of time annually they're forgoing. Nearly half (46 per cent) say this is because they have 'too much work to do', with other reasons identified as feeling pressured to go back to work (23 per cent) and not seeing the point because they don't have enough time to go anywhere (21 per cent). And more than a third (35 per cent) deemed their lunchbreaks 'too short' – with the average amount of time given to them during a workday only 39 minutes. To give working Brits back their afternoon breaks, bakery brand, St Pierre, set up a 'respect zone' in Potter's Field Park – paying homage to the sacred lunchbreak and urging Londoners to 'eat avec respect'. It has been designed to transport lunch-breakers to Paris, encouraging workers to 'do as les Français' – who are notorious for making the most of their slow-paced and leisurely lunches. A spokesperson from the brand said: 'Lunchbreaks shouldn't be a luxury – and especially not something we feel pressured to forego. 'Even though life is busy and work is important, we need to remember to take time out for ourselves to really get that break we need – and go back to work energised, refreshed, and satisfied by a delicious meal we were able to properly savour.' This is clearly needed, as 22 per cent believe we don't respect our midday meal enough in this country, especially compared to others in Europe – with Spain (33 per cent), Italy (28 per cent), and France (27 per cent) the most enviable. Respect was also missing from their employers' attitudes towards this sacred time according to 23 per cent, with four in 10 declaring employers should encourage all staff to take their full lunchbreaks. But even when those polled do manage to take time for a midday meal, over half (51 per cent) often do something work-related, such as checking emails or answering calls. This may be because 52 per cent admitted they tend to stay at their desks during lunch, even if not doing work – with a popular alternative being mindlessly scrolling through social media (42 per cent). And of those who do work through this period, over a fifth (22 per cent) admitted they would find it hard to break the unhealthy habit if they were given the chance. This revelation comes despite 37 per cent agreeing regularly not taking a lunchbreak can lead to burnout and can negatively affect work performance (28 per cent). As a result of these non-existent lunchbreaks, food choices also suffer – with 42 per cent rating them as 'average', or worse, according to data. The phenomenon also leads to lunchtime being a solitary affair in the UK, with 38 per cent revealing they typically spend this time alone, despite just under half (46 per cent) saying they would enjoy this time much more if they ate with others. St. Pierre's spokesperson added: 'It's a sad state of affairs that our main break during a long day of work isn't really being treated as one – and that we can't seem to switch off even when given permission. 'There's something to be learned from the French here – taking that moment to really unwind and enjoy a delicious meal, without thinking about other things. 'We're also missing a prime opportunity in our everyday lives to connect with other people over good food and conversation.'
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Brits are giving away up to £29 billion worth of work a year
A poll of 2,000 adults in full or part-time employment found those who have a lunchbreak typically take only 70 per cent of their allotted time – and those who don't take their full break end up skipping it entirely twice per week. For someone in full-time employment, who works an average of 233 days per year and based on the average full-time salary, this is effectively £1,012 worth of time annually they're forgoing. Nearly half (46 per cent) say this is because they have 'too much work to do', with other reasons identified as feeling pressured to go back to work (23 per cent) and not seeing the point because they don't have enough time to go anywhere (21 per cent). And more than a third (35 per cent) deemed their lunchbreaks 'too short' – with the average amount of time given to them during a workday only 39 minutes. To give working Brits back their afternoon breaks, bakery brand, St Pierre, set up a 'respect zone' in Potter's Field Park – paying homage to the sacred lunchbreak and urging Londoners to 'eat avec respect'. It has been designed to transport lunch-breakers to Paris, encouraging workers to 'do as les Français' – who are notorious for making the most of their slow-paced and leisurely lunches. A spokesperson from the brand said: 'Lunchbreaks shouldn't be a luxury – and especially not something we feel pressured to forego. 'Even though life is busy and work is important, we need to remember to take time out for ourselves to really get that break we need – and go back to work energised, refreshed, and satisfied by a delicious meal we were able to properly savour.' This is clearly needed, as 22 per cent believe we don't respect our midday meal enough in this country, especially compared to others in Europe – with Spain (33 per cent), Italy (28 per cent), and France (27 per cent) the most enviable. Respect was also missing from their employers' attitudes towards this sacred time according to 23 per cent, with four in 10 declaring employers should encourage all staff to take their full lunchbreaks. But even when those polled do manage to take time for a midday meal, over half (51 per cent) often do something work-related, such as checking emails or answering calls. This may be because 52 per cent admitted they tend to stay at their desks during lunch, even if not doing work – with a popular alternative being mindlessly scrolling through social media (42 per cent). And of those who do work through this period, over a fifth (22 per cent) admitted they would find it hard to break the unhealthy habit if they were given the chance. This revelation comes despite 37 per cent agreeing regularly not taking a lunchbreak can lead to burnout and can negatively affect work performance (28 per cent). As a result of these non-existent lunchbreaks, food choices also suffer – with 42 per cent rating them as 'average', or worse, according to data. The phenomenon also leads to lunchtime being a solitary affair in the UK, with 38 per cent revealing they typically spend this time alone, despite just under half (46 per cent) saying they would enjoy this time much more if they ate with others. St. Pierre's spokesperson added: 'It's a sad state of affairs that our main break during a long day of work isn't really being treated as one – and that we can't seem to switch off even when given permission. 'There's something to be learned from the French here – taking that moment to really unwind and enjoy a delicious meal, without thinking about other things. 'We're also missing a prime opportunity in our everyday lives to connect with other people over good food and conversation.'
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I tried a bargain pizza oven - it delivered Domino's-worthy results'
The Vonhaus wood-fired pizza oven comes in at less than £120 and provides countless nights of al fresco entertainment As the weather warms up, Brits are always keen to take advantage and enjoy as much al fresco dining as possible before the sun disappears again. But it's no longer just the humble barbecue taking centre-stage in our gardens. In recent years, outdoor pizza ovens have grown in popularity, providing a quick and easy way to feed a garden full of friends and family. And, once you have the kit, the pizzas cost next to nothing to make. While they can range vastly in price, from Ninja's £475 Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven, to Jamie Oliver's Tefal Gas Pizza Oven, retailing for £299, Vonhaus has launched a more budget-friendly option for those looking to try their hand at pizza-making. The wood pellet-fueled Vonhaus Outdoor Pizza Oven is currently on sale for £119, though if it's your first venture into the world of pizza-making I'd definitely recommend splurging on the £169.99 kit which includes a couple of vital accessories if you're not already kitted-out. Pros Storage bag Useful tools - peel/cutter/board Compact Makes great pizzas Excellent pizza cutter Cons No temperature gauge - requires a thermometer, which is not included Burns through pellets very quickly Setup The oven itself was relatively straightforward to put together, with clear instructions, so we were up and running in about half an hour. One thing that tripped us up on first use was the pre-heating instruction to 'monitor temperature every five minutes using a suitable Thermal Measurement Gun ' until the oven reaches the recommended 400°C temperature. We also came equipped with the aforementioned wood pellets, but being complete newbies to the world of wood-fired cooking, we didn't realise we'd need natural wood firelighters to get it going until we reached that step in the instructions. This was easily remedied. Baking It was at this point we realised the oven itself doesn't come with a temperature gauge. On first use, we played it by ear, gave the stone plenty of time to heat up, and the pizzas came out well with close monitoring and rotating every 30 seconds or so, despite the guesswork. We'd definitely invest in a thermometer in future so the cooking times are more precise for future uses. Another nice touch might have been some basic dough and sauce recipes to get those started who are new to the world of pizza-making. But I found both fairly quickly online, and had plenty of homemade sauce left over for the freezer after. One tip I found useful was to use a sprinkle of semolina on the pizza paddle. Not only does it help avoid the dough sticking to it, it gives the pizzas that signature nutty, subtly-sweet flavour a-la Domino's. I would also recommend prepping pizzas in advance if you're entertaining, just so they're ready to go straight in the oven. We had a little production line going with half the group prepping the pizzas in the kitchen and the other half cooking them outside in the garden. It's worth noting that the wood pellets burn down very quickly once the oven is up to temperature. To give a rough idea, we used about a third of a three-litre bag of Exstream BBQ Oak Pellets. Verdict Between four adults, we made a nine-to-ten-inch pizza each, and it made for a fun evening in the garden. They all emerged from the pizza oven evenly baked and seemed to be crowd-pleasers, with crisp bases and well-baked toppings ranging from the classic Margherita with bubbling mozzarella and fresh basil, to Mediterranean vegetables with a savoury hit of feta and anchovies. Everyone was able to pick their own toppings, which makes it a great alternative to barbecuing for catering to different tastes and dietary requirements. With that in mind, we could easily see the Vonhaus pizza oven becoming a staple of many summer birthday parties and barbecues to come.
