Let’s talk termites.  

At American Property Experts, we often get asked if using mulch will attract termites to a home, garden, or business when used in landscaping. The short answer: Nope!  Watch the video here.

Termites are small ant-like pests that feed on wood and can wreak havoc on structures if they become infested. However, termites feed on solid wood, eating from the inside out.  

While mulch is made from trees – and always made from recycled trees and vegetative debris here at American Property Experts – the wood has already been ground into fine pieces, which doesn’t leave nutritional value for termites to dine on.  

At American Property Experts, we take vegetative debris brought to us by homeowners, business owners, contractors, or anyone else who has fallen or cut trees to recycle and transform this vegetative debris into mulch. Our process uses a machine called a tub grinder, which chops the wood into fine particles. This process, along with the process of compacting the mulch into piles, generates a lot of heat. Termites or other pests who might have been living in the trees when they are brought in cannot survive these temperatures, so you won’t find them hanging out in mulch products, either.  

Termites live underground and need moist areas to travel and even survive. It is recommended to use a 2-3 inch layer of fine mulch in landscaping and gardens, or 3-4 inches of a course-ground mulch. Mulch or topsoil at these depths is not deep enough to provide a suitable moist environment for these insects to live or travel underneath.    

Mulch made from certain types of wood, such as cypress or cedar, is decay-resistant. These woods also produce natural chemicals that can actually deter termites from your property overall.  

When choosing mulch for your commercial or residential landscaping projects, know that mulch itself will not attract termites to your home or business.