skip to main content

Termite question

15 years ago

I have a brick ranch with a walk-out basement that I purchased last year. The sides of the house have concrete sidewalks/steps leading to the back of the house. One side does have small planting beds between the sidewalk and the house. The entire back side of the house has a concrete patio with one small planting bed filled with red rock. The front has a concrete drive and concrete stoop at the front door.

What this leaves me with is about 25 to 30 feet of planting beds in the front of the house. At this point there is yew, a burning bush and a japanese maple with a few spring-flowering bulbs.

My question is, with as much concrete as there is around the house (minimum of 30" in width up to about 20 feet) I would suspect the only area I really need to be concerned with is the front when it comest to termites. Would this be correct?

I hate rock and am fearful of using mulch after reading a number of forums. Any suggestions on what I can use around the front of the house that will limit termite exposure without fully enclosing every inch of my exterior with concrete? Do I need to be concerned with the sides and back? Of the three "living" seasons, is there one that I am more likely to see the mud tunnels on my house? If my main concern for exposure is this 25 to 30 foot section on the front, should I just use mulch and spray it with chemicals every year?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Kimmsr
15 years ago
Termites can find a way to get to your wood structure from the inside of your house as well as the outside, even people with full basements have found the tunnels going up the inside walls to the wood structure. Termites do need a moist environment to live in, and that is why they build those mud tunnels, but they only eat dry wood. Even though I have had wood chips, shredded leaves, etc. as mulch near the house foundation for years I have not seen any sign of termites in that mulch, in the soil under that mulch, or any mud tunnels going up the foundation blocks. I have found termites in scrap wood the previous owners threw under a porch where things were pretty dry.
andy_in_the_south
15 years ago
There are two kinds of termites: subterranean and dry-wood. The subterranean kind do the most damage, build the tunnels and do require moisture to propagate. However, the dry-wood can fly into your attic and be perfectly content as they did in my house. I have been sucessful in keeping the subterranean away with spray. For temite infestations I found in an old tree trunk, I dug it up and disposed of it. My best advice, be vigilant!
Related Discussions
Georgia clay gardening
Q
Comments (3)
If there is enough of that wood to amend the soil to around 6 to 8 percent organic matter you have enough, otherwise you will need more organic matter. However, the more variety of material you use to amend your soil the better. Depending on whether that wood is tilled into the soil or used as mulch will determine whether there might be a short term nitrogen depletion. Coffee grounds can be used as part of the organic matter soils need but it should not be all that is added.
...See More
Will termites kill my vegetables???
Q
Comments (26)
I know this thread is literally a decade old... but, I was dead set to prove I'm not crazy, and neither are you! I live in Georgia, so southeast US as well. We (apparantly) used untreated lumber to build our two 20'x4' raised beds this year. I planted 9 stalks of peaches n' cream sweet corn at the far end of the first bed. They were doing great! Then, one started curling like it was dehydrated. So, I checked the soil, realized it could be a little more moist, but the roots were pretty close to the top of the soil. I decided it would be best to add a bag of garden soil around the stalks to keep the roots from being exposed when it rains. The next day, I go to check on the corn and that stalk was done for... and two more were showing signs of dehydration by curling. So, I pulled the dead one up and when I did, the stalk easily broke at the new soil line I had just added the day before! I thought it was strange and dug around the base of where the plant was to pull the remainder of the stalk and the roots out, and when I gently pushed the soil that I had just added out of the way, there were TONS of termites... just like your picture! I panicked and checked around the base of the other stalks and lo and behold - termites. So, I dumped the 2 stalks that were not salvageable and weighed the pros and cons of transplanting the stalks to the second bed. Do I risk losing the plants to shock or losing them to termites? So, I shocked the bejeesus out of them (sadly) by completely cleaning their root balls of termites by rinsing them in water (if I had any other choice...). I replanted them in the opposite end of the second bed and hoped the termites wouldn't make it that far before we could harvest... the corn did show signs of shock for about a week, but then perked up and took off! They were doing great! Then, I walked out to the garden one morning and two of the stalks had broken off at the soil line and completely fallen over... checked the soil - termites. So now, both beds are completely infested and I don't think I'll ever be able to grow corn in my garden :( Anyone have any luck planting termite buffet food in containers that they cannot penatrate? Metal garden beds? Heat treating the soil? I'm at such a loss and really disheartened... </3
...See More
Advice for securing termite/ant 'treatment'
Q
Comments (1)
Sounds like subterranean termites to me. I believe you'll need soil treatment around the footprint of the home. We had to have small holes drilled into the outside walls of the house for the treatment. Since then we've added an inground bait system.
...See More
Termite Tenting question
Q
Comments (1)
We're in FL and termite tenting is common here. Your furniture and artwork will not be harmed. Be sure to thoroughly bag pantry non-canned food items.
...See More
User
15 years ago
If you are worried and can afford it have the termite treatment done or go to your local store for the termite traps, follow instuctions. You can have your house inspected and if there are any problems they should be treated. However many of the pest companies just use a form of the termite traps that you dig a hole in the ground and insert a bait which depending on the company may be stronger or the same as sold in stores.
Kimmsr
15 years ago
Although the link below may be way more than you ever really want to know it can be of more help than many of us that really know little more about the wee buggers than our fathers did.

Here is a link that might be useful: About termites
jean001
15 years ago
The kinds and potential home remedies for termites vary from one region of the US to another. Fr instance, in my region, termite traps for home use don't exist.

I suggest you get appropriate regionally-accurate info from your county's Extension Service office.

I'd post the phone number for you but that's impossible to do when folks don't list the county they live in, nor the state.

Related Stories

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 15 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Real Estate Agent

By Laura Gaskill

Here’s what you should find out before selecting an agent to sell your home

GREEN DECORATING 8 Questions to Help You See Through Green Hype

By Laura Gaskill

With the ecofriendly bandwagon picking up some dubious passengers, here's how to tell truly green products and services from the imposters

REMODELING GUIDES Considering a Fixer-Upper? 15 Questions to Ask First

By Sarah Phipps Design

Learn about the hidden costs and treasures of older homes to avoid budget surprises and accidentally tossing valuable features

EXTERIORS Curb Appeal Feeling a Little Off? Some Questions to Consider

By Becky Harris

Color, scale, proportion, trim ... 14 things to think about if your exterior is bugging you

GARDENING GUIDES Garden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom

FLOORS Is Radiant Heating or Cooling Right for You?

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Questions to ask before you go for one of these temperature systems in your floors or walls (yes, walls)

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Minimalism Suits an Arizona Ranch House

By Vanessa Brunner

Leaving only what wouldn't blow off in a hurricane, an architect designs a modern take on Southwest style

REMODELING GUIDES Fiber Cement Siding Takes a Front Seat

Not just a wood or vinyl substitute, fiber cement is a stellar siding choice in its own right for modern home exteriors

SMALL HOMES My Houzz: Heirlooms and Family Art Fill a 1920s Bungalow

By Mina Brinkey

Personal touches trump a huge design budget for a Florida couple with a taste for Americana

REMODELING GUIDES How to Remodel Your Relationship While Remodeling Your Home

By Mitchell Parker

A new Houzz survey shows how couples cope with stress and make tough choices during building and decorating projects

Sponsored

More Discussions

Groundcovers for Full Sun Exposure in Clay

6

Can fallen leaves in winter be used as fertilizer?

5

Can you help me identify culprit if those damages?

4

Dying Pachysandra

2

What is causing pilea plant leaves to be splotchy?

1