Laurel Plant

I would like to overwinter this plant, but ants are all over it. I don't see anything, but how do I stop this?
Thanks, Carol

Carol, IF the plant is in a pot, you could always try re-potting into fresh new compost, to do this, work outside as you dont want those ants in your home. where your working, have a bucket of water to hand.

Hold the plant in a polly garbage bag. Remove the plant from the pot, the ants will go ballistic by now, either shake or by hand, try remove the soil gently from the roots, as much soil as you can, then place the plant roots into the bucket of water to try get rid of excess ants as they don't like water.

As fast as you can, remove the plant away from the ant infestation, by first of all, plunge the plant up and down in the bucket of water to remove as many of the ants as possible,
Then re-pot into the fresh soil, I would top dress the soil with some ant killer BUT maybe put some chicken wire on top of the soil with a few larger stones on top soil as this will hold the soil above the ant killer, this is a pre-caution against any pets or animals being able to lick the killer.

IF the plant is too big for this type of re-potting then you need to just treat the potting soil with the killer and protect the animals or pets the same way.
It may take longer to clear the pests from the soil but unless you can get the plant into new cleared ant infested soil then the plant will have to remain outside.
Maybe others will be able to help you better BUT having had to deal with the same problems as you have, I dont know of any other SURE way to rid the soil of the plants and the ants are like a beacon for aphids as the ants like to live off the honeydew the aphids excrete so if you like, they ants keep all other predators away from the aphids so they hold onto their food supply. It's like a vicious circle if you like.
Hope this helps you out a little and you can get your plant re-potted or ant free before winter.
Kindest Regards. WeeNel.

Are the ants living in the soil? Then repotting and treating for ants is the way.
Are the ants simply climbing on the stems and leaves? You could probably get rid of them by hosing off the plant really well. Good idea, anyway, this will get rid of a lot of pests before bringing the plant in.

Also---
Please know that the presence of ants ON a plant may indicate some
kind of a sucking insect on your plant--eg; Scale, Mealy bugs, or Mites.
These insects suck on the juices of the plant and excrete the undigested sugars
which drip down on the leaves and stems and attract Ants. Called "Honeydew".

In this case--you need to deal with the insects first--whatever they are.
Each may need a different treatment approach.

If you have time to spare--use a Systemic on the soil--and water it in regularly,
Takes about 2 weeks--and then all the toxins will be in all the juices of the plant,
and all the "suckers" will die.
Do not do this if you have pets that chew on your plants.

This procedure may need repeating-- once or twice before they are all gone..

Gita