- 1). Pour boiling water down the ant hill. Locate the ant hill, which is done by following the ant’s trail and looking for the signature mound of dirt. Once found, pour boiling water down it two to three times a day for one to two weeks.
- 2). Spread diatomaceous earth on the ground around the strawberries. Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring product comprised of the fossilized remains of unicellular plants called diatoms. The ants walk over the diatomaceous earth’s pointed edges, are cut and desiccate from dehydration.
- 3). Cover the ground around the strawberries with a thin layer of grits. Wait until the weather is dry and sprinkle instant grits, which are ground corn kernels, on the ground. The ants will take the grits to the queen. Once ingested, the grits will expand in the queen’s digestive system once water is introduced, killing her and, eventually, the colony.
- 4). Create a mixture of 1 tbsp. mild dish soap and 3 cups warm water in a plastic spray bottle. Shake the bottle to create a soapy mixture. Spray it directly onto the ants in the strawberry patch.
- 5). Sprinkle coffee grounds, mint leaves or cayenne pepper around the perimeter of the strawberry patch. The products are natural ant deterrents and must be reapplied once a week or after every rainfall.
- 6). Cover the ground around the strawberry bushes with white vinegar. Not only is the odor unpleasant for ants, it also eliminates the scent trails ants require to find their way back to the hive.