You cannot use pesticides (fungicides, insecticides, etc.) that must be sprayed onto foliage in a way that distributes the chemical into the soil system. Not only will it not work, but it's not environmentally sound. If the garden work is cumbersome, you may want to consider cutting back a little next year. Or, evaluate the kind of sprayer that you are using. Be sure that you are following smart gardening practices that help prevent certain plant problems, too. Good horticultural practices (fostering the soil, housekeeping, proper watering, etc.) go a long way in making our outdoor tasks easier.

Ants, outside, are not a problem although their presence may indicate a problem. Look at your ants as a symptom of a problem rather than the problem itself and cure that and the ants will leave. Things like Dursban and Daizanon have been removed from the market for very good reasons, people would pick up the pellets on their shoes and bring them into the house where infants that were crawling would be able to ingest (eat) them along with older people that played on those floors., absorbing that material through their skin.

ECOTOXICITY [Active Ingredients Only] Acute Toxicity: This product is toxic to fish, birds, and other wildlife. Keep out of any body of water. Do not contaminate water when disposing of equipment washwaters. Do not apply directly to water, to areas where surface water is present or to intertidal areas below the mean high water mark . A woman with chickens says she "hides" her amdro piles under a container birds and chickens can't get ahold of. I didn't know birds would die from eating it. I will be doing the same thing instead of broadcasting or use the block baits kind of thing.

My sister told me this, and it has worked for both of us. Use whatever your favorite toxic or nontoxic method is to do away with the ones already in the house. They WILL likely come back eventually, though if you don't do something about how they get in. We both found that spraying the outside foundation of the house is a lasting cure. I have not had to do it more than one time in a year, although I don't live where it is warm year round, where you might need to do it 2 or more times a year. Since the spraying is done outside, you don't have to worry about it being in your house. Since it is on a vertical surface it doesn't pool, and isn't laying around where pets or playing children will likely come in contact with it. I just bought an bug/ant spray in a large container from Home Depot, diluted it in a inexpensive pump sprayer like you use for spraying roses or something, holds a gallon or two, dilute according to instructions and wet the entire foundation with it except the garage foundation (no problem with ants there) just until it looked wet, not dripping or anything. I haven't found anyone yet that this hasn't worked for. No matter where the ants are entering, they almost surely have to climb up the foundation to get to the crack, hole or whatever. I guess they just don't make it that far once the foundation is sprayed. Don't forget to do where cement steps meet the foundation and around basement windows and basement entry like a hatchway. At least you don't need to let chemicals into your house or on surfaces that might be dangerous to children or pets and if it needs to be done again even months later, it is quick and the cost is very reasonable. This doesn't get rid of the ones already in your house, but prevents re infestation. If you do it as soon as you see the first sign of an ant or two inside, you can just kill those manually and stop the problem in its tracks. I have only had to do it 2 or 3 times in 10 years because they never get well established inside. Sue