Termites in garden!!

[HoneySuckle]

Is this common?  I hadn't noticed them before this year, and now I am wondering if they're in the house!!

Has anyone had their home checked for termites?   

[cynical]

We were told that in the Tulsa area there are an average of 7 termite nests per acre.  If this is true it would be a rare garden that didn't have at least some termites.  You'll see more if you have landscape timbers or other wood structures in contact with the ground such as fence posts.  For those lucky enough to avoid termites there are carpenter ants. 

The only way to be sure you're free of termites is to take your house apart.  The more reasonable alternative is to periodically inspect for mud tubes and checking wood to see if it's still solid.  Termites will eat wood from the inside out, so a wood beam that looks fine might be quite hollowed out.  In our case our first sign we had termites was when they began to swarm inside the house during mating season.  After very destructive treatment (drilling holes in the slab and digging trenches outside) we had some siding repaired and there were more inside the wall. 

As you can tell from the description above, in my experience the traditional barrier treatments are ineffective.  We are now on a Sentricon contract and have not seen any termites since for several years. Once in a while one of the bait stations will test positive.  They do whatever they do and things settle right down.

Is this common?  I hadn't noticed them before this year, and now I am wondering if they're in the house!!

Has anyone had their home checked for termites?   

[RecycleMichael]

Termites build their mounds in a north/south direction along magnetic lines. Magnets placed along side their mounds disrupt and disperse them.

[sauerkraut]

I dunno I'm no termite expert but it would hurt to check the house, try and look inside the walls. Termite inspections do not look inside the walls, so you could have internal damage and not know it from long ago termite activity. All the termite inspectors do is look for signs of current activity and termite tubes in the dirt. This is all new to me because I just moved here from Columbus, Ohio and termites are not problem there, the termites live there, but home damage from them is rare the climate is too cold. I'm learning about termites too. They say in Texas and Alabama they have fast termites that do alot of damage, in Tulsa we have slower termites, at least that's what the guy said who checked my house for termites before I bought it. I should look around my yard to signs of termites too this is the big season for termites.

[sauerkraut]

Those termite treatments are expensive. I wish ya the best.

[waterboy]

Termites build their mounds in a north/south direction along magnetic lines. Magnets placed along side their mounds disrupt and disperse them.

never heard that. Good for arthritis too I hear.

Termites have to have a source of moisture. And they love hard woods, though they'll take what's available. Gardens with stakes, mulch and garden timbers, leaky downspouts and leaky plumbing attract them. Make sure you are draining water away from your home and not leaving piles of wood laying around and they are controllable.

[HoneySuckle]

The area where we saw a colony of termites is about 14' from the house.  I have never noticed any near the house, but then again, I am not really looking for them.

Someone who gardens a lot said it's not uncommon to find them especially with trees, lumber in the yard, and mulching.  Now I am scared to mulch!  More wood for those buggers to eat...but then maybe they won't attack the house???

[heironymouspasparagus]

Wood mulch is one of the worst farces foisted on the American public in decades.  In addition to being termite buffet, any given truck load of bags of that mulch will probably have a dozen ant colonies.  NEVER put that stuff near your house.  4 to 6 feet at a minimum.

Additionally, the only reason that wood is mulched is because the tree was cut down for some reason.  Many in this area are storm damaged, but just as many are diseased or infected with terminal insect infestation, such as borers.  These will get into your trees in the yard!  And infect other plants.  And put a lot of ants into your house!

And while it is finally decomposing over the ages (many years), it will be pulling nutrients OUT of the ground that the plants you are mulching will dearly miss.

Hay, compost, manure mixed with straw.  ALL excellent mulches.  They decompose easily and quickly and ADD to the earth...nutrients, tilth, etc.  Check out the OSU horticultural extension site.  Check with the Master Gardeners on 15th street at the extension office in Tulsa.  Wonderful people doing a great job to help you with gardens/yards.

[sauerkraut]

The area where we saw a colony of termites is about 14' from the house.  I have never noticed any near the house, but then again, I am not really looking for them.

Someone who gardens a lot said it's not uncommon to find them especially with trees, lumber in the yard, and mulching.  Now I am scared to mulch!  More wood for those buggers to eat...but then maybe they won't attack the house???

That is cause for worry- termites live anywhere from 20' to 40' underground anyhow so 14' away is not much. A neighbor of mine changed his front door and found alot of old termite damage when he took out the old door frame, the 2X4's were eaten up and full of dirt tunnels and crumbling. The termite damage was done along time ago according to the termite man he called and the colony was long gone.

[Conan71]

Wood mulch is one of the worst farces foisted on the American public in decades.  In addition to being termite buffet, any given truck load of bags of that mulch will probably have a dozen ant colonies.  NEVER put that stuff near your house.  4 to 6 feet at a minimum.

Additionally, the only reason that wood is mulched is because the tree was cut down for some reason.  Many in this area are storm damaged, but just as many are diseased or infected with terminal insect infestation, such as borers.  These will get into your trees in the yard!  And infect other plants.  And put a lot of ants into your house!

And while it is finally decomposing over the ages (many years), it will be pulling nutrients OUT of the ground that the plants you are mulching will dearly miss.

Hay, compost, manure mixed with straw.  ALL excellent mulches.  They decompose easily and quickly and ADD to the earth...nutrients, tilth, etc.  Check out the OSU horticultural extension site.  Check with the Master Gardeners on 15th street at the extension office in Tulsa.  Wonderful people doing a great job to help you with gardens/yards.

What about cypress and cedar mulches?  I thought those were more resistant to insect infestation.  I don't take advantage of the free city mulch when it's available out of fear of being insect havens, but have used cedar and cypress for years without problem, at least I assume there was no problem...gulp!

[jne]

What about cypress and cedar mulches?  I thought those were more resistant to insect infestation.  I don't take advantage of the free city mulch when it's available out of fear of being insect havens, but have used cedar and cypress for years without problem, at least I assume there was no problem...gulp!

+1

[Conan71]

This site says cypress is insect resistant and adds nutrients to the soil:

http://www.themulchstore.com/samples_Cypress.php

This one says cedar contains natural oils which repel insects and adds nutrients to the soil:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/391570/five_advantages_of_cedar_mulch.html

Whew! I've been doing it right.

Here's a guide from OSU Extension, it does mention on page 2 to treat for termites against the foundation if using wood chips near a building.

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Version-3999/L-251.pdf

[sauerkraut]

Builders of homes have to face alot of codes, fire codes, and hurricane codes and the like but  I don't think they have any codes for termites and bugs not even in high termite states like FL, Texas & the deep South- termites do tons of damage, google has alot of info about it. I wonder why they don't build more homes out of cement block, or use pressure treated wood for the house frames, or even steel frames in high termite zones- sure it'll cost more but will save homeowners alot of money in the long run from termite treatments, and termite damage repair. With a steel frame homes termite damage would only affect wood sheeting and trim and not make the major structure in danger of collapse. I heard that termites do more damage than natural disasters do. It's a serious issue.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Cedar and cypress are major improvement as far as termites, they won't eat that wood, but they make great hosts to ants.  Even so, it is best to keep it away from the base of the house.

In fact, the shredded red cedar you can get in 3 cu ft bales (hamster bedding) make a great thing to sprinkle around in the yard for flea and tick control.  They won't hurt the bugs, but will repel very nicely.  Spread it around by hand, then wait a mowing for it to disappear into the grass.

And whatever you do ---  NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER bag your grass!  Not only is it Satanic evil, it is bad for the yard.  (Check OSU extension site about yards.)

[carltonplace]

Cedar and cypress are major improvement as far as termites, they won't eat that wood, but they make great hosts to ants.  Even so, it is best to keep it away from the base of the house.

In fact, the shredded red cedar you can get in 3 cu ft bales (hamster bedding) make a great thing to sprinkle around in the yard for flea and tick control.  They won't hurt the bugs, but will repel very nicely.  Spread it around by hand, then wait a mowing for it to disappear into the grass.

And whatever you do ---  NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER bag your grass!  Not only is it Satanic evil, it is bad for the yard.  (Check OSU extension site about yards.)

Are we talking "father of the AntiChrist Satan" or just "Southpark Satan"?

I bag my grass so that I can transport it to the compost pile...is that OK? I don't want to be environmentally evil or do anything that might hurt my yard's feelings or stunt it in anyway or make it go on a shooting rampage.