Mango tree with ants (forum)

Susan starts with ...
I have a small mango tree in the ground that I grew from a seed. It has ants feeding on any new growth it gets and it doesn't seem to be all that healthy. How do I get rid of the ants and promote growth?

Time: 19th September 2010 2:06pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Susan
Eltham
#UserID: 4243
Posts: 10
View All Susan's Edible Fruit Trees

Wayne says...
Pyrethrum will get rid of the ants Susan and it sounds like your tree is just hungry. Try sulphate of potash, a good organic fertiliser like terrfoska TE and perhaps gypsum if the soil is clay.

Time: 19th September 2010 2:27pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
#UserID: 338
Posts: 908
View All Wayne's Edible Fruit Trees

Susan says...
Thanks for the great advice Wayne.

Time: 19th September 2010 5:38pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Susan
Eltham
#UserID: 4243
Posts: 10
View All Susan's Edible Fruit Trees

amanda says...
Has anyone noticed how certain ants find spots on a branch etc - and just seem to be sucking from the tree?

I have a couple of trees a certain ant does this to (and no - there is no scale or such)
It's like they have found a "vein" in the branch and are "vampires'!?

I will try to get a pic of it - but as the ants were alien invaders - I have got rid of most of them.

Time: 20th September 2010 9:31pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
#UserID: 2309
Posts: 4607
View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees

allybanana says...

Ants are funny things, what they are sucking is likely nectar excreted by the plants extrafloral nectaries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar, scroll down). It has benefits for the plant, in that the ants attracted to the extrafloral nectaries in turn protect the plant from herbivores see:

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/04-1916?journalCode=ecol

Or increase the rewards for visiting pollinators see:

http://www.arc.agric.za/home.asp?PID=3063&ToolID=63&ItemID=3096

The nectaries are located on the stalks of the flowers, and later the stalk above the mango, sometimes it drips nectar over the mango. They are possibly located on the mango tree at other location, but i am not sure.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 21st September 2010 9:45pm

Reply | Edit | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author
Eden S-East NSW
#UserID: 0
Posts:
View All 's Edible Fruit Trees

amanda says...
Wow Allybanana! U have melted my brain with that response! :) But yea - I agree - ants do some serious work for us.
But - my guys are tapping into a 'node' on the branch - not the flower. It's interesting when they do this - on my crown of thorn-type plant - they actually die, on the stem, with their jaws stills stuck in the plant (as the sap is a latex type) ..nothing eats that plant, and gets away with it, actually :)))

Time: 21st September 2010 10:39pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
#UserID: 2309
Posts: 4607
View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees

GaryW says...
My dwarf mango has thousands of ants climbing up and down. The leaves are being damaged, with a black guck on them which does wash off with a cloth. The shoots that normally have fruit have now died. What to do? thanks -

Time: 9th February 2012 2:15pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author GaryW
South Florida
#UserID: 6523
Posts: 2
View All GaryW's Edible Fruit Trees

GaryW says...
My dwarf mango has thousands of ants climbing up and down. The leaves are being damaged, with a black guck on them which does wash off with a cloth. The shoots that normally have fruit have now died. What to do? thanks -

Time: 9th February 2012 2:15pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author GaryW
South Florida
#UserID: 6523
Posts: 2
View All GaryW's Edible Fruit Trees

snottiegobble says...
GaryW, your tree is probably infested with aphids or scale & the side effect is sooty mould. Certain ants farm aphids for the sweet nectar they exude when stroked so if you get rid of the aphids the ants & mould will go too! Garlic spray is effective easy to make & environmently friendly!

Time: 9th February 2012 4:04pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author snottiegobble
Bunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)
#UserID: 3468
Posts: 1458
View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees

shinalife1 says...
Use Borax Or boric acid, Mix it with water & a little bit of honey or sugar and spary the mixture to the body & around the tree

Time: 7th June 2016 4:55pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author shinalife1
PARADISE POINT,4216,QLD
#UserID: 14040
Posts: 4
View All shinalife1's Edible Fruit Trees