Read
more in the Blade Runners link regarding
the likelihood of your mulch being infested
with termites. And more facts on the infamous
Formosan termites imported from Louisiana.
It is time to put to rest the old wives'
tale that if you mulch the landscape adjacent
to your house, you'll have termites. There
is a right and wrong way to mulch, and there
are many factors involved that will determine
whether or not you will have a termite infestation.
Simply having mulch there will not mean
you will have termites.
Why do we use mulch? Mulch is used
to conserve soil moisture, keep down weeds,
reduce the soil temperature and provide
an attractive covering. For many gardeners
and landscape companies, spreading mulch
on garden beds is as much the official start
of spring as our Tidal Basin cherry blossoms.
Homeowners can limit termite activity
by mulching properly. Apply no more than
2-3 inches of mulch to any area. This
allows the mulch to dry out regularly, creating
a dry environment that termites dislike.
You can even mulch up to the foundation
of your home if you limit the depth to less
than 3 inches.
Although it is not believed that
wood chips draw termites to a location,
they may create access for an existing termite
population if wood chips are placed against
the foundation. A 6 inch buffer around the
base of the house with nonwhite inorganic
mulch will reduce the likelihood of termites
invading the foundation.
If you use a landscape contractor, make
sure they are using top quality mulch and
are limiting the mulch to 2-3 inches.
The high grade mulch we use has been
decomposing for over 3 months at such high
temperatures that termites would not survive.
Blade Runners also makes sure that excess
mulch is removed and each spring mulch beds
are raked allowing all areas of the mulch
to dry. Also, when watering plants,
the water should be directed to the roots
of the plants and not to the entire mulch
bed.
Ultimately, termites do eat wood and you
should make sure that your house base is
termite free before putting any wood products
adjacent to it. This is simply
good sense and an annual inspection is always
advised. What we can guarantee is
that we are not bringing termites to your
property and we apply mulch materials correctly
to not encourage any termite population.
LOUISIANA
TERMITE
What about this termite we've read so much
about imported from Louisiana? The termite
in question is the Formosan termite, imported
years ago from China. This termite does
cause severe devastation to homes in the
southern United States. However, the pest
is not found in nature above the 35th parallel
- roughly, north of Charlotte - and the
ability of a colony to survive the shredding
process of mulch, or the 130-degree heat
generated in the shrink-wrapped pallet of
bagged mulch, makes its spread improbable.
In addition, wood debris does not even
leave Louisiana, as there has been a long-standing
quarantine in the state for the 12 infested
parishes. This was put into place to help
protect against Formosan termites being
accidentally spread. No wood or cellulose
materials may be moved out of these quarantine
areas without Louisiana Agriculture Department
approval, including all materials from Katrina
cleanup efforts. If any type of wood debris
is moved out of the quarantine area, it
is being done illegally.
For more information on this topic or
other related topics, contact your Blade
Runners representative. We’re
here to give you the most up to date information
available. |
