Garden

[yellowrose]

Oh gosh @ptagirl  Xtra work for you.  So sorry about the termites.

I never put mulch around the foundation of our house.  We have a log home so sure

don't want anything attracting those unwanted guests.

I finished all my gardening a couple weeks ago, and yes, I was dirt tired and dirt sore.

I do my gardening in March, to beat the heat.  We always seem to get a late freeze

which leaves me covering up sensitive plants, but I'd rather chance the cold than chance the heat showing up early.

[ptagirl]

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@yellowrose wrote:

Oh gosh @ptagirl  Xtra work for you.  So sorry about the termites.

I never put mulch around the foundation of our house.  We have a log home so sure

don't want anything attracting those unwanted guests.

I finished all my gardening a couple weeks ago, and yes, I was dirt tired and dirt sore.

I do my gardening in March, to beat the heat.  We always seem to get a late freeze

which leaves me covering up sensitive plants, but I'd rather chance the cold than chance the heat showing up early.

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Yes, it will be a little extra work for us.  My hubbie decided to mulch around the house last year....this is the first time we've ever had termites in the mulch. 

Now after the snow's been off for the last week, he noticed a few ground moles around the house...when placing the traps, he noticed the termites....

So tomorrow, the termite company will come and assess the situation , but we see no other signs around the foundation or under the house,...so hopefully they're only in a very small area (but we'll still have to remove all the mulch)....and can be eradicated ASAP!.....

We finally got some warm weather the last few days, so I've been washing, scrubbing, scraping our deck for preparation of painting...that, too, is a lot of work...I like to do things like this in the spring, if possible, but this year has been horrible for snow in our area... we've been so cold, too...can't do much when it's cold and snowing..

Hope it's done for this year!

[Snicks1]

I spent most of my day pulling some new tiny little weeds out of the old mulch (don't remember these weeds coming up there before), anyway I wanted to get them out by the roots. In the morning I will be buying about 10 more bags of mulch and gas for the mowers. Will see if I mow first or spread mulch first. Either way, I hope to have both jobs done by tomorrow evening. Then I will be visiting the local nurseries to see what I want for my big pots this year, every year I do something different.

[ptagirl]

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@ptagirl wrote:

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@yellowrose wrote:

Oh gosh @ptagirl  Xtra work for you.  So sorry about the termites.

I never put mulch around the foundation of our house.  We have a log home so sure

don't want anything attracting those unwanted guests.

I finished all my gardening a couple weeks ago, and yes, I was dirt tired and dirt sore.

I do my gardening in March, to beat the heat.  We always seem to get a late freeze

which leaves me covering up sensitive plants, but I'd rather chance the cold than chance the heat showing up early.

---

Yes, it will be a little extra work for us.  My hubbie decided to mulch around the house last year....this is the first time we've ever had termites in the mulch. 

Now after the snow's been off for the last week, he noticed a few ground moles around the house...when placing the traps, he noticed the termites....

So tomorrow, the termite company will come and assess the situation , but we see no other signs around the foundation or under the house,...so hopefully they're only in a very small area (but we'll still have to remove all the mulch)....and can be eradicated ASAP!.....

We finally got some warm weather the last few days, so I've been washing, scrubbing, scraping our deck for preparation of painting...that, too, is a lot of work...I like to do things like this in the spring, if possible, but this year has been horrible for snow in our area... we've been so cold, too...can't do much when it's cold and snowing..

Hope it's done for this year!

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Termite inspection yesterday....reported we have a very small problem, but they will be treating our home soon, just to be safe...

Started painting my deck railing today...seemed nice to be able to be outside without freezing... just one large project after another.....

[JustJazzmom]

@ptagirl There are products now that get sunk into the soil in canisters with a specific chemical that works on stopping a part of a termite’s life cycle on baited wood. It’s called the Sentricon system. 

What you probably saw over the mulch were the flying termites looking to mate. If you see wings alongside your window frames or near the mulch, it means they have mated. Termites drop their wings after mating.

This fact sheet gives basic info we send to homeowners. Your state may have slightly different info re: treatment & the kinds of chemicals used as it varies from state to state.

http://ccenassau.org/resources/-termites

[ptagirl]

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

@ptagirl There are products now that get sunk into the soil in canisters with a specific chemical that works on stopping a part of a termite’s life cycle on baited wood. It’s called the Sentricon system. 

What you probably saw over the mulch were the flying termites looking to mate. If you see wings alongside your window frames or near the mulch, it means they have mated. Termites drop their wings after mating.

This fact sheet gives basic info we send to homeowners. Your state may have slightly different info re: treatment & the kinds of chemicals used as it varies from state to state.

http://ccenassau.org/resources/-termites

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@JustJazzmom..thanks so much for the information...I hope everyone reads it.

Thanks again, and have a great day!

[Another new name Sue]

I mulch a lot, usually get it from HD or OSH. (I’m not fond of the colored stuff from HD but have used it some because it’s inexpensive.) It helps hold down weeds and retains moisture. Looks nice too. Some groundcivers can do the same. I have found ants in it though. Also local critters like opossums like to dig for dinner as the mulch can help earthworms live. I have mulched with lawn clippings, and it really increases worm populations and a lot of critter digging at night leaving holes in the garden. 

[Snicks1]

I finished my mulch job, and got the lawn mowed. It looks so nice. Also added a few more lavender creeping phlox to a bed (damaged when work was being done by the city, a couple years ago), anyway I was tired of waiting for the bed to fill itself in. Planted a couple pots on my deck, and decided to try planting a few hostas around a big old pine tree which will not let grass grow under it, lol. Hosta like shade, so am trying that this year, if they live and do well, then I'll add more to this area. Still have 3 larger pots to plant and want to get a couple hanging pots. Always some fun things to do outdoors.

[JustJazzmom]

@Another new name Sue, at this time of year, I am seeing squirrels searching for nuts they have buried over the fall so that is where I see breaks in my mulch.

Mulch is great for many reasons I have previously mentioned — keeps soil temps even, reduces water requirements for plants & acts as a weed block for many weed seeds. Yes, you will get some break through of certain weeds in mulch such as clover, certain thistles or maybe crabgrass or some grasses spreading through their underground runners. 

In my experience, mulch reduces my weeding time to very little. If you see crabgrass, try and remove it completely before it sets seed. Thistles like dandelions have taproots so that forked dandelion tool works really well at removing thistles too. In certain areas of my garden, like my rose garden I apply cedar mulch, then sprinkle Preen without fertilizer in the container over it. At least the Preen acts as a protective weed barrier for several months provided you do not break through the soil & dig it.

In places where you see bare soil, you may see tiny holes. Could be evidence of ground dwelling bees or with larger holes, cicada wasps nests for their one egg with a food source (a stunned, stung cicada).

Ants are always foraging so there will be ant hills among mulch at times. Either live with it or pour boiling water over the area. They do serve a purpose — aerate the soil, help distribute microbes through your soil.