Termites love damp places with rotting wood, mulch or other organic matter to feast on. If that sounds like your garden, you may want to consider making a few changes.
Both plants and termites need moisture to survive, so healthy gardens are always going to be relatively attractive to them. But you can make sure yours isn’t any more welcoming than it needs to be.
Here are a few ideas:
- Regularly check taps, downpipes and along the ground above buried water pipes to make sure there are no leaks producing damp patches.
- Avoid overwatering and in-ground watering systems.
- Consider switching to stones or gravel or other termite-resistant material for mulching.
- Don’t use timber for edging or as the walls for raised garden beds.
- Keep vegetation away from the walls and foundations of your home.
- Remove old tree stumps or dead branches.
- Store firewood away from the house and preferably off the ground.
If you love your garden just the way it is even though you know it contains some elements that may attract termites, don’t lose sleep over it. You can arrange regular inspections and/or installation of Temidor and Trelona bait stations to make sure you know if any termites have moved in before they get a chance to cause substantial damage.
