Termites in my raised beds.. help please!
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (18)
Related Discussions
Clay soil, raised bed, veggies and termites
Comments (18)If you are looking for cheap but durable, go with cinderblocks. If price isn't as big a deal, go with BRICK! Bricks are NATURALLY occuring clay that has had sand added and baked. There are NO chemicals of any kind that can leach out, that wouldn't already be present in your soil! As far as making sure that the blocks don't move, the easiest thing would be to fill the cinderblocks with your growing medium, and yes by all means PLANT in them! Why would you want to give up good growing space?! If you are going with brick you could always mortar them together! They would then hold themselves together in the shape you desire, and you wouldn't have to worry about any shifting! With the cinderblocks, if you bury them about 2 inches deep, they should hold their place pretty well. I wouldn't expect that they would shift very much. As far as your current clay soil goes, I wouldn't remove it! Clay has a wealth of minerals readily available for your plants. The only issue is that it retains water TOO well, and has a tendancy to get very hard, IF/WHEN it finally dries out. In my own case, (I have a very clay soil as well) I have added a large amount of organic material to the soil. I would dig up (not out) the clay to loosen it, then add any organic material you can find (leaves, grass clippings, bags of humus, peat moss, etc.) and mix it in the bottom of the raised beds. Next I would add the clay you mentioned you have on the side of your house with compost that you seem to have access to frequently, and maybe throw a little vermiculite and peat moss as well. This will give your beds pretty nice drainage, while also having water retaining capabilities. Your clay soil has its downside, but it is also a great blessing! Pure clay is not great for growing, but a clay/humus mix is almost ideal! Btw, by adding the organics (pre-broken down) to the bottom layer of your soil, you will be welcoming worms to come up into your raised beds. (You can't get anything better for your soil than worms!) Good luck, and I hope this helps. Remember, clay is not a BAD thing, it just needs to be managed properly!...See MoreWhy are termites in my raised bed?
Comments (8)Well, they're termites then - is there any sign of damage on any of the walnut shells? Otherwise, I'd think they were attracted to some sort of wood, maybe framing the raised bed? They sure do that here. There are termites, and then there are other termites, and the two species we have out here are probably not the ones you deal with there. I have termites around. I mulch heavily with pine bark, but they don't seem to touch that. Leave a piece of wood half-buried, or use untreated wood delineating a raised bed, or an old tree stump, and they show up within a year or two. Anyway, I don't think they do much damage to an annual garden - some species do attack the roots of some trees. I've got some now working on the roots of an old willow tree that blew down 10 years ago, and every now and again, I walk by where it used to be and the ground gives way to some foot deep sinkhole where they've eaten out the roots. This post was edited by david52 on Sat, May 31, 14 at 21:33...See MorePlease help me fix my bathtub of a raised bed
Comments (10)Thanks for all the help and suggestions. For better or for worse as I took all 24 tomatoes out and as I said I filled back in to the grade that surrounds the bed. It is close to what it would have been if I just removed the sod and put the bed on top. I tamped as I filled in so it would be as solid as I could make it with 20lb hand tamper and a 15lb patio block dropped from over my head. Some of the fill was a little rocky but I did get a couple some good sticky clay layers in there to fill in the all the voids and make it as impermeable as the surrounding ground. It was contoured with about a 2 inch drop both along the width and length dumping to the lowest corner of the bed which is above ground so it can drain out. I also put in a drain from highest to the lowest point hoping that would catch any excess and dump it out. Looking at my soil mix either it had way too much organic material in it or it was just that way because it was soaked, I remixed it with some top soil, agricultural sand, peat and vermiculite and through in a some gypsum in between some of the layers as I filled it back in. I put in some super phosphate to hopefully get some roots going quickly also. The bed was raised another 4.5" inches also to meet the bed on its right. The tomatoes are now back in their final resting place, I guess that sounds bad. Hopefully with the grade coming back up to meet the rest, the slope, the drain, the remixed soil, and the additionaly height the bed will drain properly and the tomatoes will come back to life. Some of them took it worse than others but I hope they make it, if not I guess I can sucker off the other 12 I have in containers and use those....See MoreRaised Cedar Garden Beds, Termites and Heat!
Comments (3)Cedar, especially if it's heartwood (reddish brown, instead of straw color) is one of the longest lasting woods in the desert. On the other hand, that may mean a useful life of only 5 years--as opposed to a life of one year for pine! Termites dislike the scent of cedar, so it is protected from them until the oils dry out. Splitting is caused by dehydration, mainly, especially when the wood was insufficiently cured at the sawmill. Look for kiln-dried heartwood for maximum service life. Otherwise build the beds out of concrete or masonry. Good luck! : )...See MoreRelated Professionals
Wrentham Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Folsom Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Saint Louis Park Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · White Oak Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Anderson Landscape Contractors · Waterbury Landscape Contractors · Arlington Landscape Contractors · Mission Landscape Contractors · Pleasanton Landscape Contractors · Stony Brook Landscape Contractors · Vineyard Landscape Contractors · Woodland Landscape Contractors · Fort Myers Window Contractors · Morro Bay Window Contractors · Palos Heights Window Contractors- 8 years agoI used a pot to scoop soil out of the garden. You can see several termites came up with it. If they only eat wood does that mean they will destroy my raised bed made from untreated redwood?
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoJaime Wray thanked Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
8 years ago
8 years ago- 8 years ago
- 8 years ago
- 8 years ago
- 8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
- 6 years ago
- 6 years ago
6 years ago- 6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
- 6 years ago
- 6 years ago
Related Stories
REMODELING GUIDESKey Measurements for a Dream Bedroom
Learn the dimensions that will help your bed, nightstands and other furnishings fit neatly and comfortably in the space
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESWisdom to Help Your Relationship Survive a Remodel
Spend less time patching up partnerships and more time spackling and sanding with this insight from a Houzz remodeling survey
Full Story
FARM YOUR YARDHow to Build a Raised Bed for Your Veggies and Plants
Whether you’re farming your parking strip or beautifying your backyard, a planting box you make yourself can come in mighty handy
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES8 Materials for Raised Garden Beds
Get the dirt on classic and new options for raised vegetable and plant beds, to get the most from your year-round garden
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGBuild a Raised Bed to Elevate Your Garden
A bounty of homegrown vegetables is easier than you think with a DIY raised garden bed to house just the right mix of soils
Full Story
SUMMER GARDENINGHouzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!
Share pictures of your home and yard this summer — we’d love to feature them in an upcoming story
Full Story
EDIBLE GARDENSAn Edible Cottage Garden With a Pleasing Symmetry
The owners of this cottage garden in Australia grow vegetables, herbs and fruit to delight their family and friends
Full Story
ORGANIZINGDo It for the Kids! A Few Routines Help a Home Run More Smoothly
Not a Naturally Organized person? These tips can help you tackle the onslaught of papers, meals, laundry — and even help you find your keys
Full Story
LIFEDecluttering — How to Get the Help You Need
Don't worry if you can't shed stuff and organize alone; help is at your disposal
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGRaise Backyard Chickens Without Ruffling Neighbors' Feathers
Before you build a coop in the backyard, follow these strategies to help keep your neighbors from squawking
Full Story
JXBrown (Sunset 24, N San Diego County)