Plants love mulch. They keep ground moist enough for plants to stay green. Unfortunately, termites also love mulch for the exact same reasons — but only under certain conditions. You can still use mulch in your lawn or garden and keep termites away. Here are tips from Bluemel’s Garden Center on how to safely use mulch.
Use Shallow Layers of Mulch
The University of Florida recommends that you should never use more than four inches of mulch in any one spot. Any deeper and termites will be able to live and tunnel within the mulch. Why do the termites need moist ground like much to move about in? Termites lack the hard shells that insects like beetles have. They quickly dry out and die when exposed to sunlight and heat. This is why they prefer to stay out of sight in cool, moist places. Shallow layers of mulch keep enough moisture in for your plants but not enough so that termites will want to hang around.
Keep Mulch Away From Your Home and Outbuildings
Mulch should never be within one foot of any part of your home or outbuildings, even when it is less than four inches deep. Termites are constantly looking for new sources of food. They can walk through mulch to discover the treasure trove of food waiting for them in the form of your houses and outbuildings. Even if you have a termite barrier installed, this will not deter termites if they get into your mulch. Termites use the mulch as a bridge over soil treated with insecticide.
Prune Vegetation
Termites can also use plants like large shrubs or tree branches to walk over treated soil and onto your home. For that reason, you need to be sure that all vegetation is trimmed so that it does not touch any foundations or walls of your home. Talk to landscaping companies in Waukesha, WI to keep your plants and trees trimmed year round.
In Summary
With a little foresight, you can use mulch to help keep your lawn and garden looking great without also making it look great to termites. If you have any questions about mulch use or fighting off lawn pests, contact landscaping companies in Waukesha, WI.
