Help control insects without chemicals with rubber mulch
Posted by Jamie Kavanagh on
In our last blog post, we touched on insect control without chemicals or the need for an exterminator and we thought we would expand on that a bit. A reader contacted us and asked for more detail on how rubber mulch can help control pests as they were suffering with millions of ants in their yard.
So we here at Dallas Rubber Mulch are only too happy to help!
One of the many concrete benefits of using rubber mulch on your garden instead of wood is that it doesn’t act as a friendly ecosystem for insects. This point alone is why many gardeners are switching from wood to rubber, let alone the other benefits it offers.
Given how the spring has been so far, wood mulch is the ideal breeding ground for insect pests such as ants and termites. The insect breeding chain goes something like this:
Wood + moisture + warmth = the perfect breeding ground for insect pests
Our winter was relatively mild with no serious freezes for any length of time. Therefore nature’s annual insect population control wasn’t as effective as it usually is. The early part of the year has been more wet than usual while also being mild and sometimes even warm.
If you use wood mulch on your garden, the equation above is what the first five months of 2015 have been for you. Termites and ants just love those conditions which means they breed and breed. This isn’t good news for those who like using their gardens!
While there are plenty of chemical methods of controlling pests, they are neither good for the environment or safe for animals or children. If you have either, you will likely think twice before using any chemical pest control on your garden. The alternative is the exterminator who will still use chemicals to control the insects.
The alternative is to break the chain. Take something away from that insect breeding equation above and your problem reduces or goes away. As we can’t do anything about the weather, your only option is to remove the wood. Wood acts as shelter, food and insulation to help insects breed. Take it away and they no longer find the conditions conducive.
It’s a simple but very effective way of controlling insects on your property. While rubber mulch on its own cannot rid you completely of insects, it can help control their numbers and won’t encourage breeding like wood mulch does.
Order your rubber mulch today from Dallas Rubber Mulch!