Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Get Rid of Termites in Landscape Timber
How to Get Rid of Termites in Landscape Timber. Termites can be a destructive force. A single colony can wreak havoc on a home or property, sometimes driving a homeowner to financial ruin. Termites often appear in moist areas where wood contacts the soil. Termites often show up in landscape timbers. If you find termites in your landscape timbers,...
Termites can be a destructive force. A single colony can wreak havoc on a home or property, sometimes driving a homeowner to financial ruin. Termites often appear in moist areas where wood contacts the soil. Termites often show up in landscape timbers. If you find termites in your landscape timbers, it is only a matter of time before they infest your house---if they haven't already.
Things You'll Need
Liquid termite treatment (orange oil is a good option)
Termite bait (Examples: Sintricon Termite Control, First Line and Terminate)
Borate termite treatment
Synthetic landscape timbers (optional)
Stones (optional)
Determine the type of termite you are dealing with. Subterranean termites (the most common type), dampwood termites and formosan termites can all be treated with liquid insecticide or bait. Drywood termites often require fumigation.
Divert any downspouts and gutters as far away from the landscape timbers and house as possible.
Apply the liquid termite treatment to your lawn as directed. Usually they are sprayed around the house and affected areas, killing any termites that they contact directly. For a safer, more environmentally friendly option, use orange oil. Orange oil is made up of a chemical called d-limonene that is extracted from orange peels. It is harmful to insects, but has very low toxicity toward mammals.
Apply termite bait to the affected areas as directed by your specific product. Termite baits are picked up by the workers and will gradually kill off remaining members of the colony.
Rid your yard of infected timbers. If badly damaged, these timbers will serve as an ideal home to another colony. Treat your new timbers with borate. This treatment is applied like a coat of paint. It works because termites are dependent upon little protozoa to break down the wood into useful nutrients within their digestive tract. Borate kills the protozoa, thus forcing the termites into starvation. However, it will not be able to eliminate an entire colony alone.
Eliminate any wood completely from your yard. To give your property the best chance to stay free of termite infestations, use stone or synthetic wood in place of traditional wood landscape timbers.
Tips & Warnings
If confronted with a termite infestation, it is always best to contact your local pest control service. They will help you find the best treatment plan.
Any time you find termites on your property, have an inspector check your home for structural damage. In severe cases, a home's structural integrity can be compromised.
