Go to the nearest big box store or garden center and purchase some Amdro. Sprinkle a SMALL amount (more is not better) on the top of the soil and even around the outside and sit back and wait for a few days.

It is not unusual at all for fire ants to decide that a large container full of loose potting soil is suitable for an annex to their nest. Especially if your container is so huge and the plant hasn't grown into it yet.

You cannot use Amdro once the citrus has begun to bear fruit, but is fine until then.

If you don't want to use chemicals, then try sprinkling a good dose of used coffee grounds and diluted leftover coffee on the soil in your pot - I use this for my Meyer Lemon pot and the ants don't like it at all and leave it alone now. Remember to reapply every week until you get rid of all the ants. The coffee and grounds also improve the acidity of the soil and makes citrus plants happy.

Sorry...

At first it helps, but then over time, the coffee grinds fill in the air spaces, or pockets, that are in the soil, clogg it up, eventually rendering the soil useless for proper root function leading to rot. It compacts your soiless mix..

I lost a many plants doing this, but in the begining lost a many ant too. My Aunt can't keep hers alive more than a few months because she swears the grinds are good for her pots..Some day she will listen, when she finally keeps one aline long enough and has to transplant something after hammering her plant out of the old soil because it almost turns to cement..lol

It is a fix for the insects, but not a good idea for your soil or the roots health in a containers over time.

Rhizzo knows her stuff, is a professional on insect control, and is a big advocate against chemicals..I ssume there must be a reason why she suggested her method and the not the natural coffee route.

If your pot is full of loose soil, not only do the ants love it, but so do the roots to your plant.....;-)

Mike, thank you for your support, but please allow me to stress something very important.

One of the terrific things about this field is that it is constantly changing. It is always worthy to listen to someone with positive anecdotal experiences regarding home remedies. Sometimes, they prove to be very effective!

I stick my big foot in the door when someone suggests something that is downright worthless (proven by science), or dangerous, or wasteful. Other than that, we're all in this to learn, right?

I've heard that coffee grounds (and citrus and a host of other things) do work to repel fire ants. It will encourage them to pack their bags and move elsewhere. I am not particularly interested in that result, myself, preferring for the fire ants to be GONE, not evicted.

I often suggest Amdro for fire ants because it works so predictably well when directions are followed, and because the entire ant colony will be vanquished. In fire ant country, that's an important outcome.

Anyway, Mike....thanks for your continued support and for the advice that you offer in the forums.

Thank you guys so much. I will head out and get some soon. That does make sense about the ants using the soil for a nice nest.

I don't have a problem using chemicals as long as they are effective and scientifically shown to work! I will go get some Amdro today!

After all, if it weren't for you rhizo, and others, many would probably be really sick from chemicals,including animals, children and me, also many beneficial pests would never make it to kill off the bad.. You have saved me and my plants a great deal of heartache with your free giving expertise..They have never done so better!! I wish there was a way to repay you...So my support is the least I can do. What you say always works.. No problem.

You make a great point. We are all here to learn and help.

Therefore, I am still in favor of keeping the coffee grinds, finer than sand when it breaks down,sometimes can repel water too, out of my pots, and I recomemnd no one use them for the reasons I describe..
Also may I add that I am trying to help people avoid future soil pest problems, knats in particular to replace ants....;-), but not disagreeing with its effect on helping rid ants..It does a great job at keeping ants at bay too as ashley said. In fact, my Aunt said BRAVO when she read this..lol..You made a friend ash..:-)Thanks...
Now she might join...

You threw me off there rhizzo when you suggested a chemical..So I figured you must of had a good reason for it, therfore the curiousity...

Thanks to everyone for sharing and caring! Great ideas!

Mike and Rhizo, my potted Meyer is sickly, so I cannot be an expert by any means on it's care. I am wondering if coffee grounds would breakup (decompose) into compost in a few months inside the pot and then the effect would be the same as applying compost to the pot? The reason I ask is because I cannot use chemicals because of very small children and animals in my yard. And, if grounds are not good, can I use just liquid coffee instead in my potted citurs? I apologize to the OP for hijacking this thread.

Hi ashley,

It would take you quite a bit of time to read the container forum about soil composition and how small particles can clog up soil over a while, such as worm castings and coffee grinds, sand and so on. Why these are encouraged by many to keep out of pots.

I would take a gander some time and see how soil works..It's awsome.

But in the meantime, you need help now, and if this does work, the grinds in particular, then I would use it, if that is an only choise, better than nothing, only because you are armed with the knowledge to know what coffee grinds can do to your soil over time.

So just keep and eye on your soil, and if you see that it is becoming compact, hard to water, or staying wet to long after the grinds decompose, just do a transplant with a better open and airy soil before the plant suffers.
Catch it before this happens. By then, your ant problem just might be gone..:-)

You armed with great info here, and you have alot of great choices do great advice from others. Just know your soil basics,and you will save future heartache for your special plants.. Know what to watch for, when it comes to your plants health declining, for almost always it is a root related do to compact soil and air space filled in with stuff usch as grinds, "over time".

Goodluck.....let us know if you got rid of the ants

You didn't hijack this thread, you only added to its character for the good. Your idea was great for anyone and everyone who know their soils well..:-)

Ok..P.s...
I am not completely against using grinds...But just for a short term solution or fix..
Once the ants have departed, then I would find a way to not let the grinds get to the point where they hurt your soil composition...:-)
Probably change the soil out before the roots get compacted..Hope this helps...:-)