[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

I told an allotment friend about ants in my poly tunnel and he said he’d have a look when it was a bit cooler and he put some ant powder on the problem area, but some of it is on my cabbage, and some of it is I. The bed where my cucumbers are.

I don’t know what type it is and am now worried I can’t eat anything in these beds.

Any help appreciated.

[JayG]

Tricky one this - as you have clearly realised, ant powder is not supposed to be used on or near food plants - I'd remove as much of it as possible (and also some of the soil if it's been watered in.)

If you do that the amount of insecticide contamination should be very small, but I'm afraid it has to be your call whether you want to eat the produce or not.

[mumofstig]

You'd have to eat quite a lot of the ant powder to hurt yourself  https://www.poison.org/articles/is-ant-bait-safe-around-children-193
I've often killed nests in the greenhouse and eaten the cucs and toms grown in there.
Personally, I'd hose off anything that actually has powder on it and then forget about it. Most veg you buy in the supermarket probably has more insecticide on it than yours will ever have.....
But it's your decision.