Photo of the Day: These Are the Ants that Ate My Thyme!

This summer, I bought herbs and flowers from the Salta Municipal Market on Calle Urquiza, corner of Itzaingo. Rosemary, basil, locuto peppers, thyme and lavender. The ants ate all but the rosemary and lavender.

Marigolds, I've been told, are the plants you plant around the edges of your garden to repel pests like ants. Those damn ants -- at least four different species -- not only ate them, they dismantled the flowers, petal by petal, leaf by leaf leaving nothing but sticks.

I don't want to use poison in our garden for many reasons, not least of which we have a puppy and a 6 year old running around, playing. But also, I use the plants and leaves for cooking and to prepare herbal preparations for everything from headaches to facial washes to rashes.

Internet research suggested trying lemon, hot pepper powder, salt and hot water. I tried each one separately and together. All I got was a bunch of plants that looks more like a roast than an herb garden.

Autumn arrived and the ants went underground. We stopped seeing them in the house, and my rosemary, lavender and mint -- a present from a friend, thrived. With renewed hope, I bought more thyme.

Then today, I watered the plants. Within minutes, a swarm of ants crawled from the thyme pot, all carrying eggs.

I'm not sure if I'm in awe or if I want to wage war against them. War, though, doesn't seem like much of an option. I'm hopelessly outnumbered.

And if anyone has any non-toxic solutions, please, please let me know.