Hi Everyone,
So not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but I am having a bit of trouble with Termites. Now you don't need to stress about my house, its mostly Bricks and tiles and the parts that are wood are all treated.
What is a problem however, is they seem to be borrowing nesting beneath my herbs, causing my soil to collapse and the root system struggling. I am also noticing that my herbs look as if they have been trimmed (predominently Oregano and Rocket). I'm not sure why they enjoying my rich soil so much, but I am struggling to get them to leave my plants alone.
Any idea's?
Google suggests using all sorts of insectisides, which I'm not interesting in. I don't want to kill them either, I just want them to vacate my herbs/lettuce garden.
Regards,
stu
-
GardeningCook
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 787
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:35 pm
- Location: Upper Piedmont area of Virginia, Zone 7a
-
applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 31012
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I wonder if "trimmed" herbs is incidental damage from some kind of animal or bird trying to eat the termites.
If there is a kind of poisoned bait you could put out for termites (in a closed container so as not to affect the plants or curious animals) that might successfully kill off the colony if the workers take it and feeds the queen.... This is what I would do if they were regular ants.
If there is a kind of poisoned bait you could put out for termites (in a closed container so as not to affect the plants or curious animals) that might successfully kill off the colony if the workers take it and feeds the queen.... This is what I would do if they were regular ants.
The only way I know of getting rid of termites is to call a termite control company. They do have baits for ground termites that should not be toxic to the garden since it is not systemic and but depends on the termites finding and taking the bait back to the nest to kill the queen.
There are homeowner bait kits, but it is probably better for your house and yard if it is taken care of by a professional company.
Even though your house is mostly brick, it will still have some wood parts and termites love doors, window sills, and thresholds, not to mention rafters.
They may be in the trees or shrubs on your property as well.
The pest control company will know where to look for the nest and can tell you for sure if the pesticide they use is safe for the garden.
Your home is a big investment and termite damage can be very costly to repair. Did I mention that termites also like house wiring.
The treatment isn't cheap but necessary if you have ground termites.
There are homeowner bait kits, but it is probably better for your house and yard if it is taken care of by a professional company.
Even though your house is mostly brick, it will still have some wood parts and termites love doors, window sills, and thresholds, not to mention rafters.
They may be in the trees or shrubs on your property as well.
The pest control company will know where to look for the nest and can tell you for sure if the pesticide they use is safe for the garden.
Your home is a big investment and termite damage can be very costly to repair. Did I mention that termites also like house wiring.
The treatment isn't cheap but necessary if you have ground termites.
-
JC's Garden
- Senior Member
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 10:43 pm
- Location: Moultrie, GA Planting Zone 8, Sunset Zone 31
I spent most of my adult life as owner of a pest control company that focused on termite control. I have no idea what species of termites you have in South Africa but, only once have I seen termites attack a living tree. In that case there was no other available food source. If they were attacking the roots of your herbs, they would already be dead.Cupis wrote:What is a problem however, is they seem to be borrowing nesting beneath my herbs, causing my soil to collapse and the root system struggling.
If the soil is collapsing, they are probably exhausting a food source (cellulose debris) that's underneath the soil. An old root, for example.
If this has happened over one season, it's a large colony. If their presence bothers you, use the termite bait idea to eliminate the colony.
Whether you eliminate the colony or not, I would relocate the herbs to an area with no cellulose debris in the soil. It will prevent the soil from collapsing in the future.
As far as the trimmed herbs go, I'd check for sneaky neighbors.
Hi Jc,
Thanks for that input, I am sure that even if the termite is different, they are the same. It must be the type of soil that I am using, as you said, as the soil that is natural to my yard is a terrible hard red clay soil. I have had to dig it up and replace it with richer potting soil that I got from the nursery. (Side note on that soil, I had to take a hammer to the spade to get it anywhere, just to have it bend from the tough clay). The potting soil must be loaded with bark and bits of wood that they must be loving, I will certainly try replacing the soil with something less appealing to the termites.
Just general info about the termites here in South Africa, they are not a problem to South Africa housing. Our houses are 90% brick with just the roof support beams being wood, I have not ever heard of Termites getting in. We also use concrete/bricks for our perimeter walls so we don't have issues with our fences being eaten. So the only threat we really have from them is if they attack a dying/dead tree and the branches fall or the tree collapses. We do have another little critter, which may be a form of termite is call "Bora", much smaller, borrows into anything wooden (I have seen it living in a book and clothing peg) and nests and eats it hollow.
Thanks for that input, I am sure that even if the termite is different, they are the same. It must be the type of soil that I am using, as you said, as the soil that is natural to my yard is a terrible hard red clay soil. I have had to dig it up and replace it with richer potting soil that I got from the nursery. (Side note on that soil, I had to take a hammer to the spade to get it anywhere, just to have it bend from the tough clay). The potting soil must be loaded with bark and bits of wood that they must be loving, I will certainly try replacing the soil with something less appealing to the termites.
Just general info about the termites here in South Africa, they are not a problem to South Africa housing. Our houses are 90% brick with just the roof support beams being wood, I have not ever heard of Termites getting in. We also use concrete/bricks for our perimeter walls so we don't have issues with our fences being eaten. So the only threat we really have from them is if they attack a dying/dead tree and the branches fall or the tree collapses. We do have another little critter, which may be a form of termite is call "Bora", much smaller, borrows into anything wooden (I have seen it living in a book and clothing peg) and nests and eats it hollow.