It's important to also begin the appropriate actions to prevent the termites from entering your home when you begin controlling the termites from entering your garden.

Using a pyrethrum pesticide, spray any visible termites in or around your garden. Make sure you are a least 5 feet from your garden when spraying so that you don't affect any of your flowers or crops.

Reduce the moisture in your garden's soil and near the exterior of your house, as termites are attracted to moist soil. Turn off any leaking spigots near the area and make sure you don't over-water the soil in your garden.

Remove woodpiles that are too close to your garden and place them as far out in your property as possible. Also, make sure that wood or mulch doesn't barricade the exterior of your house.

My first question would be why are you amending with wood bits when you know you have a termite problem? A big no-no for future reference.

But since you did then are the beds framed in with wood too? If so then replacing it with other materials will eliminate the problem. Adjacent to the house? Has the house been treated? Do you till? Tilling will go along way to destroying tunnels and habitats.

Beneficial nematodes is one of the organic controls recommended for garden areas but if you are certified organic then you need permission to use them first.

There are also several "less-toxic" sprays now available that some organic certifiers have approved for use. One is called Torpedo, derived from permethrin. Again permission is required first.

You might also post on the Organic Gardening forum here for more suggestions.

Good luck.

Dave

I wonder if I could rent some chickens : )

Beneficial nematodes sound promising. What are the drawbacks of bringing in one bug to get rid of another? Will they eat things I don't want them to - veggies, good bugs/worms, are they safe to use on garden vegetables (will their being in contact with our veggies make us sick)?

How far underground do they build their nests? I can turn the soil in the beds, but how do I know how far down to go?

Thanks!

Termite colony's are deep down, your not going to destroy them by spraying,etc.
To get rid of the colony, a product has been developed to keep the termites from shedding, if this happens they die naturally and do not alarm the remainder of the colony so they keep feeding on the material that eventually destroys them..

Bait stations are set up to attract termites, if their around they will eat this material, after realizing termites are eating... this material is replaced by the final strips.
They eat this, and tell all friends down below to come and dine, which they do.
When shedding (growing) cannot be completed they die.
This has worked for me, my home was invaded 30 years ago, a barrier was formed around my house at 1 ft increments, it worked for 30 or so years, they came back.
This new method eliminated my termite problem after 1 season..
If you spray, or place any destructive material, you will only destroy the termites targeted, not the colomy.

Agree that the colony's are deep and since most tillers/turning forks will only till 8" deep tilling doesn't destroy the colony itself unless you want to double dig or use a tractor.

But the tunneling system they use to migrate through the soil is destroyed and has to be slowly re-built. Plus termites are destroyed in the process. Done enough the colony is damaged and encouraged to depart.

Around the edges of the garden bed the tunnels are very superficial so tilling/turning the edges is especially beneficial. How easy that is to do repeatedly depends on how you plant. Leave a band of soil you can work with.

Beneficial nematodes are just that, beneficials. They do not damage crops. They aren't bugs, they are soil-dwelling parasites that survive on other soil dwelling pests only; fleas, grubs, flea beetles, etc. They come in several varieties and you order the variety specific for the issue you have.

There are many sources. The one linked below is just for your info.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Beneficial nems

i know i'm quite late to the party here and maybe i'm way off base, but so what if you have termites in the veggie beds? i see them in and around the yard all the time and as long as they're not near the house, who cares?
i'm a landscaper, so i so a lot of them and think little of it... when they run out of food, my guess i they will move on... but my other guess is that, no matter how hard you try you will not rid your yard of termites.... but i dont think its the end of the world, tho'... just my .02

Just try to eliminate their food source : Wood chips, logs, chunky compost,... They will go somewhere else.

And I dont think they came with the soil/compost you bought. Termites are not like roaches to multiply. They live in their own colony, They have queen, different calss of citizens ....like bees and ants. If you take a bunch of them somewhere, I don't think they can start a colony. (I could be wrong)

Termites are out there in the ground almost everywhere, looking for dead wood fiber. .

Termites are social insects. These insects live in colonies governed by a caste systems. All three castes differ dramatically in appearance and responsibilities.

Worker termites are the most numerous and most destructive members. They can be found infesting walls or floor joists of a home. They are white in appearance and navigate with their antennae rather than their eyes: worker termites are blind. This caste of termites is responsible for bringing food back to the colony, caring for the other castes and constructing the galleries and tunnels that form the physical colony. Subterranean worker termites use a mixture of mud, saliva and feces to create mud tunnels to and from sources of food.

Soldier termites are pale yellow-brown in color and have enlarged heads and mandibles. The soldier casteâÂÂs enlarged jaws prevent them from feeding themselves, and they rely upon workers to assist them in this task. The sole function of the warrior termite caste is to defend the colony from attacks. These warriors will occasionally attack other termite colonies, although the primary threat to any termite colony is ants.

Reproductive termites are an integral piece of the colonyâÂÂs structure. Young reproductive termites, also referred to as alates, are black and winged. When outdoor humidity and moisture levels are correct, both male and female reproductive termites participate in mating swarms, after which they land and shed their wings. These insects then go on to form new colonies, within which they will be reproductive kings and queens.

@ japus ..Amen ! That is what i was talking about

I've had a lot of trees removed over the years, and have found termites in several of the rotting stumps. A couple are right in the middle of my back perennial garden. I've never even worried in the slightest about them bothering the garden plants. I only worry about them getting in and damaging the house (there is a history of termite damage inside the house from the previous owner).

One day, I watched a Pileated woodpecker chipping away and eating termites out of one of the stumps.

One thing I know and that is: termite do no do any harm to live plants. If You are worried about them getting into your house, the you need termite treatment around the building. You cannot get rid of termite everywhere in your property and actually, it is not necessary.

25 year ago, I had the termite barrier treatment.
A hole drilled 6-8 feet down 1 foot apart...INSIDE & OUTSIDE
of the house.
Cabinets , fixtures, etc had to be removed in order to do this.
It was only a barrier using treatment to repel (not kill) termites..
Killing them wont help, they will just go around the dangerous area to get where they want to go.
10 years later their back in the house again, eating our plate,
( plank that sits on top of foundation blocks ).
The first treatment cost me $1,800 and only worked for a while. (10 years)
2nd treatment, installed bait stations. Bait (wood ) that termites love to eat.
Around the perimeter of the house, when termites are detected, the bait is removed, another material is added.
This material will keep the termite from shedding their skin,
they don't shed, they die of natural causes and no alarm is given to the colony, so they go on in a normal way.
Eventually after the workers all die, the colony ceases to exist..
This was 15 years ago with another $2,000 bill.
The bait stations are still in because I am paying $300 per year for them to be inspected periodically.
If termites reappear the treatment will be done again at no extra charge to me.
If termites get into your home, it's a nightmare.
When this house is sold I'll have all documentation needed for termite control.
In my opinion that barrier was a waste, however at the time that's all there was.
Maybe in years to come will more technology, it will be better..
I used the company named Ehrlich Pest Control.
They did a fine job for me..

I live in Texas and 3 years ago when having some remodeling done on my home termites were discovered and well 6.000.00 later to repair the terrible damage to the structure of the house. Then 1000.00 to have Terminix to come and surround the house with bait stations. After reading that this barrier might be just a waste does anyone out there know what I can drop into those traps myself or if it is even possible to do so? I haven't opened one up yet to see exactly what is down in those traps. I just wanted to find a way to do this myself or is spending another 300.00 this year to have them come and fill the traps again worth it. Or is that all a waist of money????

If you have sub-terrainian termites the bait stations work very well. Did you get a warranty from Terminix? If so you need to pay them the annual renewal. They only add baits to the stations that have termite activity, otherwise it is just pieces of soft wood. If the warranty is not a issue go to Doityourselfpestcontrol.com or doyourownpestcontrol.com You can purchase the baits from them at a good savings. This system will work for the garden beds also.

Good luck!

Craig

I recently purchased advantage bait stations from doyourownpestcontrol.com after finding subterranean termites under pine bark mulch in my flower beds at front of house. I went this route first because I do not want to have a company pump hundreds of gallons of poison around my home. Although the kits come with "bait" cartridges to attract, these only are used to monitor if termites are present. Then if they are found you will need to switch to the poison. If you have seen the termites & know they're there be sure & buy the poison baits in addition. I put stations everywhere I saw termites in the beds & every 6 - 10' around the foundation at 2-3' from foundation. I did not bother with the baits since I knew they were there & started right away with the poison. So far the area where I saw the most have found the bait & are munching away at the wood below bait & inside the poison cartridge. I realize this may not rid them all and am still considering the liquid barrier method but applying it myself to save $$. There are many videos showing how to apply the barrier but there are also many different products to choose from. Do your research though, many of these are not able to be used in certain states.

Matt

These bait stations aren't poison, they keep the termites from shedding, then they die. If poison is used the termites will realize this and just not go there. New material has been developed to make both baits and material to keep from shedding all one item.
They love to eat it and take it back to the colony, then all enjoy eating it, then their gone.

Previously Ehrlich has been monitoring my stations monthly, now with this new material it's done once a year.

I've been paying $300.00 per year for this monitoring, That cost hasn't changed over the years. after spending about a total of $5,000 for 2 termite episodes I figure it's an insurance policy that can't be ignored. For that fee I'll be termite free even if they return.

I keep all records, this way when my house goes on the market, I'll have one less item to deal with.

Yes, by saying poison I should have said the "active" bait. The system I used is actually advance not advantage. The active ingredient for treatment is Diflubenzuron & considered a Toxic level 3 by the EPA. I would not want it in my edible garden, I also wouldn't use pressure treated would for raised bed edible garden. But that's just me. Hopefully with monitoring this will eventually drive the colony out & keep future infestations from happening. Here are 2 links for more info.

http://www.doityourselftermitecontrol.com/termitebaiting.htm

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/pesticidefactsheets/toxic/diflubenzuron.php

Lost 11 trees to termites in the past 2 years and 5 more about to fall down. We need help!! Someone tell me how to get rid of termites, fire ants and carpenter Ants!!

Most of these, "Tips" are referring to Wood Destroying Termites. Yet, here's the biggest problem with all these well meaning answers. The termites that are eating your veggies' roots are the Northeastern Variety... They ONLY eat live roots... The ones you see eating your wooden planter boxes will not eat your plant roots. Nematodes were used prior to the development of Pyrethrum insecticides and the recent chemical copies of such.... with Pyrethrum coming from the Pyrethrum Daisy. Found along the roadsides of most highways in the Southern US...

I know I'm late to the discussion. Fipronil trench is a perfect solution to preventing termites from getting into your walls. It is a very labor intensive job, and a homeowner can accomplish this if dedicated to the job. In conjunction to this, exercise the bait stations in and around the perimeter of your house. You can also create your own termite killing bait stations. Get some pine garden stakes, a 5 gallon bucket. Mix a super concentrated solution of fipronil in some water, soak the garden stakes in the solution for several weeks, occasionally stir the solution with the stakes about every 2-3 days. Hammer stakes in the ground around your house. Termites cannot detect the fipronil, will eat on the stakes, bring the poison back to the colony and destroy the hive. Use the old solution of fipronil around dark damp areas surrounding your home to amend your barrier. Agee with other post; the chemical deterrent barriers simply don't work and the termites will find the area that is deficient in treatment, whereas the undetectable barrier is the Trojan horse. You can find this stuff on domyownpestcontrol.com or Amazon

Love that website. BTW, I use Taurus SC as opposed the more expensive Termidor SC.

Now, back to the question. How do I keep the termites out of my garden, and to stop eating away at the planter box. Here is my intentions. On the bottom of the planter, spread a grip load of diatomaceous earth down nice and even with special attention around the wood areas, lay a weed block barrier down. Apply a plastic barrier between the planter box and the garden dirt (stapled). Wet the planter box boards and rub diatomaceous earth (DE) on the boards (use rubber gloves), and as you work your way to the top of keep pouring DE between the plastic sheet and boards. Cover the top of the boards with the plastic sheet to the other side and down about an inch. The diatomaceous earth (if ingested by any bug, will rip their intestines apart and keep grub and termites from coming from the bottom of your planter).

Not sure if this is going to work, but it is plausible in my mind. In one growing season, the termites have eaten about halfway through my pine 2x10's! Nasty critters.

One problem is that D.E. doesn't work when it's wet!

Linda

I know this convo started years ago, but I have to chime in after my experience this year... Wood-eating termites will absolutely eat live plants of the right variety... I lost 9 stalks of corn to termites this year. Fibrous plant stalks like corn are a feast for them and they will hollow out the stem from the root up and your plant will shrivel up and die over night, and more than likely fall over due to lack of support once the termites get far enough up the stalk. There's no saving them once the termites have made their way in... so, while MOST home garden plants aren't enough to attract termites, fibrous, stalky plants will attract and feed them every time... learned our lesson of having wooden raised beds too... they are still plentiful throughout both of our 20'x4' beds even though the corn is long gone... my guess is they are eating the borders and woody organic matter throughout the soil. They haven't harmed any of my other plants that I have noticed, but i won't know for sure until the end of the season.

Tl;dr: Termites CAN and WILL eat live plants if they are fibrous and stalky like corn. Lesson learned!

Spoke too soon... They also ate 32 of my 40 white onions... Literally hollowed them out...