In my garden there are orange flags.
There are 30 of them throughout the garden.
The orange flags are so that I can find these little containers when the plants over grow them. The containers are termite stations. Some time ago I discovered termites in a cupboard under the house, where I keep the gardening stuff. I got into a panic thinking that the termites might be eating our house, so I called the termite exterminator. He came to check the house and proclaimed we were lucky as they hadn't got into the house. He was not happy with all the loose timber we had lying under the house nor did he like the bark mulch covering the garden, all of which attracts the termites. I asked him how could we prevent them getting into the house and he suggested installing termite stations all around the house as a barrier.
So we told him to go ahead. $2300 dollars later we had 30 installed. Every month we have to open them and check if there are termites eating the timber slats inside. If there are we call the man. The first time I checked them I found one full of the creepy, white horrid pests. We rang the man.........
He undid the lid with a special key,
but because I had disturbed them most of them had run away. There are just a few on the timber sides. Anyway he fills the container with a paper pulp poison mixture, which hopefully, they eat and take back to their nest and feed the others. Then he asks for $140 dollars. An expensive feed for the little critters.
Did you notice the ground cover is in flower. I think it is called japonica pachysandra but I'm not sure.
Last week we cleaned out all the timber from under the house and found more of the little blighters. Our dear friend Paul and his son helped us get all the rubbish to the dump. Hopefully we are safe from the termites now.
What a costly exercise, Diane! I'm multiplying by 6.5 to get the Rand value and it's steep! Hope it's going to have the desired effect!
ReplyDeleteI think your lovely groundcover is one of the plectranthus species from what I'm able to tell.
Beautiful pictures of your garden. But now I am going to have think twice about putting fresh bark mulch on my own. Who knew?
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Spots and Wrinkles. Loved the comment about teachers telling students and parents to forget what each said about the other!:)
we have a huge termite problem in the state of Florida, never heard of these and this is amazing to me. great post full of info.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we have those here, the termite stations I mean. We have termites. In fact, they invaded the house several years ago. I came downstairs to see a swarm in our living room, it was the most ghastliest feeling and sight. Wouldn't have minded except that each March and April for the last 20 years we have a termite inspection and subsequent treatment.
ReplyDeleteThose pesky termites can be a problem here too. We had some at our first little house, but thankfully we caught them before they did any structural damage. We do regular checks for mud tunnels along the foundation.
ReplyDeleteThe exercise looks interesting, never heard of it! Hopefully the termites will now leave your beautiful garden free and safe!
ReplyDeletethat's a thing you don't find here fortunately ! How terrible, that they could eat a whole house. I complain about my snails which eat all the plants and flowers, but with the anti snail product I keep them away. Orange flags, that's the color for the Dutchs ! my so said DIL would be happy to hear that it is for termites, lol !
ReplyDeletePeople don't realize how hard it is to maintain a home --unless you have one. We pay a yearly fee for them to come and spray around our WOOD home about every 3 months.. So far they have not found anything... BUT--it's good to be careful.... Your little flags just add beauty and color to your garden...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Now I would have thought that guy to have his 'modelling' wrong.
ReplyDeleteSay he works on 10 years, at $100 per annual visit. He sets his instalation fee at $2,000, adds his $1000 annual fee (not transferable to new property) and hits you for $3K right at the beginning. If you will pay $2,300 you will stretch to $3K for ten years of cover.
Then everyone is happy to see him once a year. If you want to see him more frequently, then I reckon you should be slugged $250 per visit.
I am assuming this is all 'green'?
Diane
ReplyDeleteI always forget to ask when I see you but this post now prompts the question. With all that bark and wood chip in your garden, besides the damm termites, do you find cockroaches living in it also?
We had here a back area which was full of bark and wood chip. I moved in and I immediately had it all removed by the gardener. The units were riddled with cockroaches, when it went, no more cockroach invasions! Strangely the gardener agreed and couldn't understand why the stuff was there in the first place?????
Your garden looks great after all the rain.
Cheers
Colin (HB)
I hope so too. They can do so much damage.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awful problem to be faced with. The cost is staggering too. I think the steps you've taken are good though. Keep smiling!
ReplyDeleteTermites yuk I think that those pest men know we do not want termites so they can get away with charging an arm and a leg to termitie proof the house.
ReplyDeleteI love your garden (but the not the creepy termites). The photos are wonderful, as always.
ReplyDeleteWe get these horrid things call carpenter ants. They, too, live on wood. My mother's house was infested with them and it cost thousands to rid the house of them and make repairs.
GOOD LUCK!!!
I'm sorry to hear that you have to plant orange flags in your garden. It's unbelievable how much damage termites can do. But the ground cover in your garden is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteTermites are a real pest and I was staggered to learn about the wood chips on the garden actually encouraging these little critters.
ReplyDeleteMost garden experts advise on the use of wood chips as the best type of mulch!!
Your garden looks lovely and green!
I have always been concerned because we live in a timber house but so far so good. What annoys me about those pest guys are that their contracts are so full of ifs and buts you have no idea whether you are protected and pest free.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lucrative business to have your garden free from the termites!
ReplyDeleteThey are horrid things and whilst costly, I suppose its cheaper than having repairs done to your home. xxxx
ReplyDeleteHey, Thanks for the nice comment and story.
ReplyDeletePetting zoos can be a challenge for both parents and children.
It is funny, but, my mantra is "Adventure before dementia." I think that is the coolest outlook one can have on life!
My classic petting zoo story is worth checking out.
It is #151 An Amusing Mugging.
kt
Oh -- good luck with getting rid of those nasty things. Everyone here in swampy Florida has to have a 'bug man'. It is cockroaches here (barf).... we all get a good rate because he can do our whole Park in one day -- he comes quarterly. We haven't seen any inside since the first year, before we got on the service. That was not a nice experience then!
ReplyDeleteDiane, it does sounds expensive. But, in the long run I think you made a good decision getting the work done. I have heard horror stories about termites.
ReplyDeleteWe had trouble with termites once in our first house where water got in around the windows in our den.
ReplyDeleteWe paid for a contract and then updates yearly but to have to pay when the station needs treated seems like an expensive deal.
I hope it doesn't come to that often.
But, your garden is lush and lovely!
That is what I thought Carletta, I didn't expect to have to pay for him to poison them aswell. Bill says next time we'll buy the stuff and do it ourselves...maybe.
ReplyDeleteYour garden lookes great but that cost A LOT!! is there not like a natural enemy for those termites??
ReplyDeleteThanks
Leontien (your newest follower