Mulch is great for shrubs and trees, but it, unfortunately, makes the ideal environment for termites. This is not necessarily saying that you shouldn't use mulch around your home. It is true that termites come from the ground and feed on wood, such as tree stumps, and also carry that wood back to their colonies. They especially enjoy looking for food in moist environments. The moisture alone can make the environment ideal for a termite colony, whether they decide to eat the mulch or not.

Since you shouldn't refrain from using mulch at all, you may want to consider the type of mulch you use around your home. The type can make a difference. If it doesn't attract termites, then you may not get them.

Mulches You Can Use

First, you want to make sure you don't let the mulch touch the foundation of your home. If it does, then you are giving termites a bridge into your humble abode.

One type of mulch that you may want to consider is rubber mulch. Rubber mulch does not have anything within it that termites want to eat, so this is a consideration you may want to make.

If You Use Wood Mulch

If you use wood mulch, simply look out for termites. You may be able to see them moving around. And if you know that there are termites in your neighborhood, then it may be a good idea for you to use a different type of mulch. If it is very important to you to use wood mulch, then try to be as careful as possible. If you must, you may wish to employ the services of a termite inspector once per year when the weather is warm to ensure that termites are not present in your home.