Best Practices For Landscaping To Minimize Termite Access In Reston

Homeowners in Reston, Virginia, a charming suburban town, are proud of their outdoor areas. In addition to improving exterior appeal, lovely landscaping raises a home’s comfort and value.

But what many homeowners don’t realize, is that some landscaping decisions can also attract unwelcome visitors—termites. It’s absolutely necessary for you to comprehend the connection of your yard to termites to keep your house safe. See more below, we’ve detailed the best landscaping tips to prevent termites from accessing your yard and keep it green and in style.

Keep a Clear Zone Around Your Foundation

The best and most effective way to stop termites from ever reaching your home is to maintain a clear separation from your landscaping to the foundation of your property. Do not use mulch, soil, wood chips or heavy landscaping in direct contact with your foundation. They are moisture-holding and havens where termites can live and eat.

Instead:

• Provide a 12- 18-inch barrier of bare ground, stone, or concrete between the soil & foundation wall.
• Use inorganic groundcovers, such as gravel, next to the home.
• Prune back any shrubs or foliage that grows against walls to allow for airflow and to minimize humidity.
• In addition to deterring termite activity, this buffer permits better access for inspection by pest professionals.

Watch Out for Mulch and Wood Products

Mulch: One of the most prevalent moisture-holding and weed-preventing products, mulch makes for a termite playground. The trick is to use mulches judiciously.

Here’s how:

Add six inches, then make that your guide for placing spreading materials such as mulches at least 12 inches from the foundation.

Use a termite-resistant mulch material like cedar, cypress, or rubber.

Mulch lightly (no more than 2 to 3 inches) to decrease the hold of moisture.

Don’t pile firewood or untreated lumber next to the house or directly on the ground.

If your landscape design near the house requires mulch use stone or pea gravel instead.

Graded and Drained Yard the Right Way

Termites love to live in moisture conditions. Bad drainage and standing water around the foundation of your house will result into conducive conditions for termite activity. The right yard grading and drainage is a must.

Steps to follow:

• Slope the soil so it runs away from the house.
• Fit downspout extensions and gutters to divert rainwater from the foundation.
• Don’t overwater landscaping close to the house, and repair leaking spigots or irrigation lines as soon as possible.
• If the soil around your home is dry, it will be hampered in its efforts to find the dampness and food it is seeking.

Choose Termite-Resistant Plants and Materials

Some plants and landscaping materials repel termites. No plant is 100% termite-proof, but you can select your plants more wisely to lower your chances of encountering these destructive pests.

Recommendations:

• Opt for water-thrifty native plants with deep roots so you don’t have to water much.
• Steer clear of oppressive groundcovers that create dark, dank zones near the earth.
• Landscape timbers, decks and fencing should be constructed of pressure-treated wood or termite-resistant woods such as redwood or teak.
• Also live anything wooden - fences, posts, trellises – on metal or concrete bases, not in contact with the earth.

Schedule routine inspections and maintenance

No matter how well you landscape your property, you can still have a termite infestation. Which is why regular inspection and maintenance mean so much.

What to do:

• Every few months walk around your property and check for mud tubes, swarming termites or visible damage to wood.
• Arrange for an annual termite inspection by a pest control expert in Reston, particularly if your home is at high risk or the soil around your home is subject to infestations.
• Keep tree limbs and shrubs trimmed to decrease shade and humidity near the house.
• Regularly remove lawn debris like stumps and fallen branches from your property.
• And with a little proactive action, you’re more likely to catch infestations early and curb costly damage.

Final Thoughts

Termites are such a problem in Reston, but you don’t need to give up a beautiful lawn just to prevent them from moving into your home. The practice of smart landscaping with reduced moisture, no ground touching wood and physical barriers can help to prevent a termite invasion in your home.