[holder100]

Hi All,

I have just taken over an allotment with my 2 little boys and it looks to have been untouched for many months.

Today we decided to work a small patch to get ready for some veg planting. However, as we turned the patch over it seems overrun with ants..Is this good or bad My first reaction is this is to be expected for the amount of time the patch has been left.

If it is bad, what can I do about it ?

Secondly. Any ideas on some veg that do not take too much work to get get us started ? My boy's just want sunflowers !!!

Thanks for your help, Alan

[Elcie]

I'm not sure about the ants but as regards planting I would definitely suggest you get a packet of lettuce/salad seeds.  They grow very quickly and are ideal at this time of year.  Perhaps some turnips too.

[dugless]

The ants will go away as you work the land.

[FCG]

Ants hate to be disturbed and will probably sod off once you've worked over the soil a couple of times. Generally the birds will love you!

On planting - yes you can get stuff in. But mainly letuce/salad crops and hardy over winters like Kale, turnips, swede and kohl-rabi.

[Trillium]

When I find ants in my patch I turn over that section and they really do move on. Perhaps not far, so I then dig up that section and they all grab eggs and move on. Once they're clear of my garden area I leave them be. If they become persistent about staying put, use a patent ant killer which is taken by workers to be fed to the queen. Once she dies, the colony falls apart. Or sprinkle boric acid powder into the hole. Not really harmful to humans but ants hate it.