Question
Hello,
I am gardening on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, near St. Michaels, MD. I put my zucchini plants in about ten days ago.  They seem to be doing well except I just noticed little black ants crawling around and almost inside the closed blooms/blossoms.  Are they harmful, and if so, what can I do to get rid of them?  I am trying to garden organically so I would rather not use chemicals if it turns out the ants need to be removed.  Thank you in advance!

Answer
Rachel, ants will not normally harm the plant, but they could mound the soil around the plant which would weaken the root system.

The best organic solution for ants is diatomaceous earth. Basically, it is a mineral product composed of crushed fossilized shells, which are fatal when a soft-bodied insect crawls across them. They eventually experience dehydration and imminent death.

Your best option may be purchasing it online through a company that sells organic products, such as Planet Natural.

Attached is a link to Planet Natural. You'll find this product as well as many other organic controls for a variety of insects and disease.

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/diatomaceous-earth.html

I hope this information helps. Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike