Pine straw is the most commonly used mulch that is lowest in cellulose, and is a good choice for foundation plantings. Mulches that are not plant-based, such as rubber mulches, gravel and rocks, are, of course, not in the termites' diet.
Vetiver grass is a powerful ally in the fight against termites. Originating from India, this tall, clumping grass is known for its extensive root system, which helps prevent soil erosions. Vetiver grass roots release a chemical called nootkatone.
Termites dislike certain odors that act as repellents to them. Some of the common smells they hate include orange oil, neem oil, garlic, cinnamon, vinegar, mint, and citrus.
Termite-resistant mulch
Cypress heartwood has been rated as termite-resistant, with one study showing that extracts from this wood actually repel termites. Similarly, if you lay cedar mulch, termites won't be very happy. Organic, wood-based mulches aren't going to provide termites with a source for heavy feeding.
Minimize the likelihood of cracks in the concrete. Install metal mesh or sand/basalt termite barriers around the foundation. Seal around all utilities that go through the slab. Use termite-resistant construction materials.
Physical, non-chemical barriers include sand and basaltic particle barriers, as well as stainless steel mesh barriers. Chemical versions include soil treatments and plastic barriers that are treated with termiticide.
Thus, neem oil for termites can be the best natural termite killer and help you get rid of termites permanently from your wooden structures. If you are wondering how to do neem oil treatment for termites, simply inject it inside the wooden structures.
1) Newspaper and cardboard sheet mulches can become pest havens. Termites were found to prefer cardboard over wood chips as a food source, and rodents such as voles often nest underneath mulch sheets.
Mulch does not attract termites but can create moist conditions that termites prefer if used incorrectly. Wood-based mulches like pine or cypress can become a food source for termites as they decay. Termite-resistant mulches like cedar or inorganic options like gravel reduce the chances of termite problems.
Reduce moisture in and around structures to avoid attracting termites. Repair irrigation or pipe leaks in and around the structure. Keep mulch at least a foot away from structures. Trim vegetation at least 18 inches away from the structure.
Ants are the greatest predators of termites, and may have a considerable local impact on termite populations in some areas of the world. A few parasitoids of termites are known, but their potential for regulating termite populations seems negligible.
3 - Tea Tree Oil & Other Essential Oils
If you want to avoid termites at home, you can use essential oils, such as cinnamon oil, clove bud oil, or the famous tea tree oil. To use them properly, all you have to do is to fill them in a mist sprayer and spray on the damaged areas to repel termites.
If nothing else suits you, go and try the successful heat treatment to control termites at home. Just use hot air or increase the temperature of the infected area up to 120 degrees and maintain it for half an hour. This much heat for this much time will kill the termites instantly.
Install Pea Gravel around the Foundation of Your Home
This suggestion is only for homeowners serious about preventing termites. Install 8-10 inches of pea gravel next to the foundation of your home to keep your mulch from touching your home's foundation. Termites have a terrible time tunneling through pea gravel.
Place coffee grounds around the foundation of your home in areas where insects or other pests are entering, or mix them in with mulch while doing landscaping to help keep ants and termites from infesting your mulch bed.
Termite Treatments
One popular method on how to get rid of termites involves treating the soil around your house with a termite insecticide, such as imidacloprid or fipronil. Wood can also be treated directly if termites are inside. Termite baits are strategically placed around your yard to lure termites in.
Cedar Mulch – Resin from cedar heartwood is toxic to termites. Cedar mulch can also deter cockroaches, odorous house ants, and other insects. Cypress Mulch – Heartwood makes cypress a termite-resistant mulch. It also has anti-fungal properties and a slow rate of decay.
Cedar mulch can be used with well established plants; there is a degree of safety on this that, at this moment in time, can be trusted. It is safer to avoid cedar mulch with seedlings, small plants and newly germinated plants.
In fact, cypress mulch is more acidic than hardwood mulch, meaning that it can cause problems for plants that don't prefer acidic soil. It repels water more readily than most pine mulches and is more likely to be washed away in areas with heavy rainfall or flooding.
Some of the most common alternatives to landscape fabric are cardboard, newspaper, burlap, ground-cover plants, straw, wood chips, bark mulch, pine needles and lawn waste.
What should I put down before mulching? If you are unable to clear the area of weeds it is best to put down landscape fabric before mulching. Preen, or a similar pre emergent weed prevent, can also be used before, or after mulching.
Landscape fabric is not needed beneath mulch to block weeds, if you have the correct amount of mulch. Also, as the mulch breaks down, the nutrients and compost cannot do their job of helping the plants' roots and weeds end up seeding into the compst on top of the fabric.
Termite treatments last for an average of one to ten years. An annual inspection can help determine if your termite treatment is still effective. It can also show if there are new entry areas not being covered by your current treatment.
While you cannot get rid of termites permanently from the environment, you can help prevent them from taking root in your home and control any active colonies nearby. Although it may be tempting to try termite control yourself, prevention and treatment is best left to the professionals.
Both termite bait stations and liquid treatments, such as Termidor or other treatments with Fipronil, are effective solutions, but they work differently. If you're focused on colony elimination and long-term termite control, termite bait stations are the better choice.