By Jollyjack
United Kingdom 
Iv'e had an Acer in a pot for about 5 years, it's infested with ants now, the leaves are sticky and dry and have a crispy feel in places, I want to repot it into a bigger one but not take the ants along. Iv'e read different remedies but am confused as to what's the best one. Any advice would be most welcome.
18 Apr, 2021
Answers
If you are planning to repot it you will want to get rid of ants first. If you should not wish to use ant powder for any reason there is another way. Ants hate water so try soaking the pot and leaving it wet for a day or two before you start. Otherwise you'll have hoards of the little dears dashing about saving eggs all over the place. When you repot you might find some nice sturdy pot supports to keep the base of the pot off the ground - this may help to discourage more. (Keeps woodlice out as well, as a bonus!
19 Apr, 2021
welcome to GoY.
That is a lovely plant.
When we have had an ant problem I have used Ant Sugar. Its a sugary compound bought from a hardware store. Its is a granular 'powder' that you put at the base of the pot. The ants take it into the colony and when eaten it kills them.
Look for scale insects/greenfly on the stems of the Acer. The ants are using them for their sugary wastes called honeydew and the ants farm them, keeping them alive and free of predators.
18 Apr, 2021