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Sun, May 22, 11 at 14:21
| My husband and I used to live in Michigan, and we moved to North Carolina a few years ago. In Michigan, almost everyone uses wood chips in garden beds and on pathways. When we were offered free chips here in the south, we jumped on them. But then some of our neighbors (after we put down the chips) warned us that termites/bugs may become a problem for us.
I'm attaching picture of what we did. It's not right up against the house as you can see, but it is near it. From the research I've done online, there are very conflicting ideas on wood chips causing termites. Our home was also very heavily landscaped and mulched by the previous owners (right up against the home), and there hasn't been a problem with termites yet, which is good. Ideas on how to keep them away? Good preventative measures? (Names of sprays, etc.) |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by louisianagal z7bMS (My Page) on Sun, May 22, 11 at 17:49
| I've lived most of my life in the New Orleans area, and now in Mississippi, and termites are certainly a big concern. My advice is to make sure there is a small space between the wood chips and the house. Then make sure you have a termite contract with a reputable company, and that they come back yearly and thoroughly inspect, and they come out if you see anything that worries you regarding possible termites. |
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| I think you are fine with the wood chips where they are. I've been using pine bark and other wood chips for years. I don't know about NC, but in Georgia, you have to have your home treated every 5 years for termites. Otherwise you can't sell your home. Once you have the treatment, they come back yearly to check for termites. I don't think there is a do it yourself way to check for them. |
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| Down south there are 5 different species of termites, versus two up here in the colder regions and even up here a good wood chip mulch can be a nice home for termites. That they might nest in wood chip mulches, however, does not necessarily mean they will eat that woody material since most termites eat only dry, not moist, wood. There is one termite species in some places down south that does dine on wet wood however, but that still does not mean that having wood chip mulches near your house will meant the termites will devour it before your eyes. Simple precautions, ie. treating for termites, will do a lot, although some companies that do that will not offer a guarantee if wood chip mulches are near the house based on ignorance. Even up here in Michigan homes must be inspected for termites when they are sold. |
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| Here in OK all the home inspectors will tell you never to put wood chips next to your foundation. Termites and ants like to nest in them down here. I contracted a bad ant infestation in my beds that went into the walls of my house after I put down cypress chips. The ants were attracted to my electronics! Did you know they now make rubber mulch? It looks like wood chips, comes in black, red, brown- the best part is you supposedly never have to replace it. And it does not attract termites. It costs more than wood chips but I am certain it costs less than treating for termites. |
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| If there are termites within about 100 miles of you then you will need to have your house treated because of everyone else does they will find your house. Many "home inspectors" simply follow myth about mulches and insects. Rubber mulches are not a good addition to any garden since they can, and do, leach things such as lead, cadmium, etc. into your soil and do not add anything worthwhile to that soil. Why are tire dumps considered hazardous waste sites and why is the soil under those dumps tested for heavy metal contamination and removed? |
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