Try putting diatomaceous earth around the base of the tree. My lowes sells it or goto a pool store. It's a fine white powder that ants don't like to walk across. It is made of microscopic sea creatures called diatoms. 100% organic.

We dont get it here in India

You can try one of these.

1. Baking soda is poisonous to ants, spinkle it around your plants to ensure ants will stay away.

2. Flour & Baby Powder will keep ants from reaching your plants, ants will not cross the powder – so circle your plants with it.

3. You can use coffee grounds, chili powder, cinnamon, peppermint or black pepper. All deter ants and if you pour coffee grounds directly on an anthill, they will eat the coffee grounds and implode.

If a singe trunk tree tanglefoot or vaseling /grease on something small wrapped around trunk.

I grow basically single trunks in large containers and no ant problems with method mentioned .

Bush type plant would be difficult though with that method.

Martin

Alright, i have couple of ideas to try, thanks a ton:)