termites in raised beds

[pinetree909]

Hi Patti,

Love your show. Just had a question about how to avoid termites in the raised beds. I had some douglas fir 2 x 6's in my backyard that I used around some berry bushes, which I mulched with some oakwood chips I had leftover from having a stump chipped, I took a look at the boards a few months later and they were covered with hoards of what looked like termites. I'm concerned if I put in a bunch of wooden raised beds for veggies they will be composted by termites in a year! I've seen all your videos, I know you recommend putting down gravel 1st, but I hate to put down a bunch of gravel when I'm reasonably sure the ground is okay. Can I just put a ring of gravel underneath the wood as opposed to covering the entire base? Will that help protect against termites? Or should I use milk paint, linseed oil etc. I've looked into plastic lumber and don't like the idea it may leach toxins into the soil. I want to eventually be able to compost the used woods, but want to get more than a year or two out of them. Just wondered if you had any ideas.

Thanks,
Joanne

[Cynthia]

I'm not Patti :) but I wonder if beneficial nematodes would solve the problem? It might be worth exploring.

[gardengirl72]

Joanne, I put the gravel down for drainage reasons and to keep the raised beds off the original ground. I wouldn't worry about the termites. My raised beds you see in my videos are (on average) four years old and are still fine, even in the corners. I have only milk painted them once, and now are graying up to the color I like the most, so are just now at the perfect age.

I think eight to ten years is probably accurate for the raised beds useful life. My uncle Hubert thinks they will go twenty years if I milk paint them every other year from now on.

Nematodes is a good question. I will look into that one. And I think my chickens eat every bug the can get a hold of as well.

[Cynthia]

Looks like beneficial nematodes do work on termites - I figured they did because they are parasites for many larvae. Good luck

[gardengirl72]

Another reason to try out beneficial nematodes! Nice I will be trying it out!

[Backyard Permaculture]

I just made 2 raised beds of something, that, at least to date, I have not heard anyone else use for raised beds.

And they resolve, I hope, one of my concerns for gardening where I put these raised beds.

As I live in a country town in SE Arizona, we have to worry about Javelinas, a distant relative to the pig. I have mentioned them on another thread.

They destroyed my corn and watermelons last summer.

I was staring at this material I had, wondering really what to do with it, when on turned the little light bulb in my head!!!

So I made 2 raised beds using or rather recycling corrugated steel roofing panels I inherited from my parents home after my mom passed away, and some were given to me by a friend about the same time.

The corrugated steel is about 26 inches wide and varies by length. I screwed them on the ends to some 4 x 4 pieces of wood, and loaded them up with vermicompost and wood shavings and horse & burro manure.

The beds are only about half full, but the sides being 26 inches high (knock on wood) will be to high for the javelinas to get into. Deer can, but hopefully not the PIGS.

Ron

[gardengirl72]

Ron, are the edges of the roofing sharp?

[Backyard Permaculture]

Hi Patti

The exposed edges aren't all that sharp. The corners are sharper. However if you were to fall on them they might cut you. A possible solution is to go to your local plumbing/home improvement store and buy 3/4" PVC pipe, there are usually 2 wall thicknesses on 3/4" PVC, Schedule 80 is thinner and all you need. Cut it to the length of the corrugated steel making your raised bed side, slit it the length of the pipe and place the pipe over the edge of the raised bed side fitting the corrugated steel into the slit.

You could then stretch plastic over the raised bed, essentially making it a hotbed or mini greenhouse, though you would have to worry about snow or rain accumulation. But there are ways to beat that too.

Ron