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I didn't know if this should be here or under pests.
A couple weeks ago, I noticed some ant hills between the bricks of my patio. We were just about to leave for vacation and things were soo hectic, I didn't get a chance to do anything. Now they are everywhere on my patio!!! They are taking the sand that is supposed to be BETWEEN the bricks and piling it all up ON TOP of the bricks! Also, I have lots of little plants growing between the bricks. Is there anything I can get to remedy both situations at once?? Last we didn't have either problem.
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If you do not mind using chemicals, then spread either Sevin or Amdro on and around your patio. The ants will be gone in about 3 - 4 days, and usually willl not come back. Then just spray some round up or other grass killer on your patio to kill the vegetation. Then just sweep the sand back into the bricks and water it down real well to compact it. When I built my walkway from brick, I mixed one bag of masonry cement with the sand to harden it. My thinking was that the pests and grass would not come thru it as easy. I hope this helps.
* * * * I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Wayne http://community.webshots.com/user/johncandy1005 Plants: 263 | From: Georgia | Registered: Jun 2004
| Seeded: 205.188.116.73
posted
Thanks very much for the advice. I will try it....hopefully this coming week. The brick patio was already here when we bought the house at the end of last summer, so we didn't have any say as to what was put under the bricks. But if I do build anything else with the bricks, I will definately keep the cement in mind!!
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I don't know if this will help with the weeds, but my standby for ants in the garden was my grandmother's favorite--just pour boiling water over the ant nests. There is special sand, too that hardens like concrete, so maybe you can still add that to top off the spaces in your patio. Don't feel bad about the ants--it's been a bad year for them here too. Everyone I know is complaining about how many there are. I think the wet weather is a factor. We haven't gone 3 days without rain. Good luck!
Plants: 70 | From: Lehman Twp PA | Registered: May 2004
| Seeded: 205.238.235.51
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