Garden Fact or Fiction?

Check UF first before passing on " helpful " garden advice .

This email was sent to me by a friend . After checking with Solutionsforyourlife.com, I found that the adage , " If it seems too good too be true , it probably is ! " , applies in this case . Here is a copy of the email and the link to the " real " story .

Warning - THIS IS NOT TRUE !

email:

[ For those not familiar with Walter Reeves, he is from the University of Georgia agriculture department, specializing in home gardening.

I know fire ants are picky eaters and any type poison that is effective takes seven feeding steps before the queen receives it. Plus, if the bait is stored in close proximity to any petroleum or fertilizer products they won't touch it. Contact poisons that are on the market just cause the colony to move away. A well developed colony can be as deep as 30 feet and spread out some 20 to 50 feet from the mound center... This was documented by studies done in the early 60's when they were first sighted in South Alabama.

An environmentally friendly cure for fire ants has been announced by Walter Reeves on his

Georgia Gardener radio program. Testimonials that it REALLY WORKS are coming in.

Simply pour two cups of CLUB SODA (carbonated water) directly in the center of a fire ant

mound. The carbon dioxide in the water is heavier than air and displaces the oxygen which

suffocates the queen and the other ants. The whole colony will be dead within about two days.

Besides eliminating the ants, club soda leaves no poisonous residue, does not contaminate the

ground water, and does not indiscriminately ki ll other insects. It is not harmful to your pets,

soaks into the ground. Each mound must be treated individually and a one liter bottle of club

soda will kill 2 to 3 mounds. ]

This is the link to dispute the above claim : http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu/2010Hort_NewsArticles/CanClubSodaControlFireAnts.pdf

Read this interesting article for the full story . An excerpt from the link :

" I contacted Walter and as I expected was told that his "endorsement" of this practice is only a rumor. As he states on his website (WalterReeves.com) concerning this rumor, "...a bit of Internet hyperbole has arisen." Reeves also states, "I have not endorsed the pouring of club soda onto fire ant mounds. From several replies that I've gotten, club soda has no effect on fire ants. The insects simply rebuild their mounds afterwards. The carbon dioxide atmosphere in the mound does not linger long enough to suffocate any ants. Baits and mound treatments are still the best way to control fire ants." "

Dr. Phil Koehler, UF/IFAS Extension Entomologist, concurs. In an email reply , Koehler stated, "Club soda is not an effective way of killing fire ants. There was one study that investigated the carbon dioxide concentrations of fire ant mounds and found they are really tolerant of high carbon dioxide levels. In fact, they seem to prefer high carbon dioxide. I donÂt think that club soda will kill any fire ants at all. This is another folk tale similar to the instant grits. Supposedly, ants explode when they eat instant grits sprinkled on their mounds. Grits donÂt work, club soda doesnÂt work either. Often putting things like grits and soda on a mound just causes the mound to move because of the disturbance. Fire ant baits work really well."