Way out there

[seanieboy77]

Ok this is about the most obsecure thing that I can talk about but I'm in need of desperate help. My house id going to be tented in a few weeks and I know most of our plants around our house will die but do you think that a 15 year old Bird Of Paradise will survive the tenting. I mean the plant is right outside of our house against the wall. So please if you have any info or helpful ideas please share!!!

Thanks!!!:t

[Ammok]

What's tenting?

[j.m@talk]

Its what ya do in bed on a sunday morning ;)

[Ammok]

LOL. more like what happens when your looking at pictures of f......, better not.:D

[j.m@talk]

Its to do wiv the erradication of termites........ :eek:

Big tent over house air tight........ & fill the tent wiv poison gas :eek:

Sheesh I'm a mine of useless info :rolleyes:

[j.m@talk]

http://www.geocities.com/defwheezer/house/tent.html

short & sweet :p

[Ammok]

whats termites? but if that what they is going to do will anything survive?

I think I would wrap the plant in plastic. or but a big container over it.

[j.m@talk]

Jezers Mocksy :rolleyes:

Little wormy things that eat wood & other organic materials,
Thus..... As timber framed houses are very common over there
the house can kinda fall over on ya with out warning.

Quite a big problem :p

Buy A TV for frigs sake :p

[j.m@talk]

Homeowners can reduce the risk of termite attack by following these suggestions.

Eliminate wood contact with the ground. Many termite infestations result from structural wood being in direct contact with the soil. Earth-to-wood contact provides termites with simultaneous access to food, moisture, and shelter, as well as direct, hidden entry into the structure. Wood siding, porch steps, latticework, door or window frames, posts and similar wood elements should be at least six inches above ground level. Eliminating wood-to-soil contact may require regrading or pulling soil or mulch back from the foundation, cutting the bottom off of wood latticework, or supporting steps or posts on a concrete base. Posts or stairs that are embedded in concrete are also vulnerable to termites since they usually extend all the way through the concrete to the soil. Contrary to popular belief, wood which has been pressure treated is not immune to termite attack; termites will enter pressure-treated wood through cut ends and cracks, and will also build tunnels over the surface.

Don't allow moisture to accumulate near the foundation. Termites are attracted to moisture and are more likely to enter a structure if the soil next to the foundation is consistently moist. Water should be diverted away from the foundation with properly functioning gutters, downspouts and splashblocks. Leaking faucets, water pipes and air conditioning units should be repaired, and the ground next to the foundation should be sloped (graded) so that surface water drains away from the building. Homes with poor drainage may need to have tiles or drains installed. Lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems should be adjusted to minimize water puddling near the foundation.

Reduce humidity in crawl spaces by providing adequate ventilation. Most building codes call for 1 square foot of vent opening per 150 square feet of crawlspace area. For crawlspaces equipped with a polyethylene vapor barrier, the total vent area often can be reduced to 1 square foot per 300 to 500 square feet of crawlspace area. One vent should be within 3 feet of each exterior corner of the building. Shrubs, vines and other vegetation should not be allowed to grow over the vents since this will inhibit cross-ventilation. Moisture in crawl spaces can further be reduced by installing 4-6 ml polyethylene sheeting over about 75 percent of the soil surface.

Never store firewood, lumber or other wood debris against the foundation or inside the crawl space. These materials attract termites and provide a source of food. When stacked against the foundation they offer a hidden path of entry into the structure and allow termites to bypass any termiticide soil barrier which is present. Vines, trellises, and other dense plant material touching the house should also be avoided. Dead stumps and tree roots around and beneath the building should be removed (where practical), along with old form boards and grade stakes left in place after the building was constructed.

Use decorative wood chips and mulch sparingly, especially if you have other conditions conducive to termite problems. Any cellulose-containing materials, including mulch, can attract termites. Termites are especially drawn by the moisture-holding properties of the mulch. Where mulch is used, it should never be allowed to contact wood siding or framing of doors or windows. Crushed stone or pea gravel, though often considered less cosmetically appealing, is less attractive to termites. These materials also will reduce problems with other pests such as millipedes, pillbugs,earwigs and crickets.

Consider having the structure treated by a professional pest control firm. Although the measures outlined above will help make the house less attractive to termites, the best way to prevent infestation is to treat the soil around and beneath the building with a termiticide. Buildings have many natural openings through which termites can enter -- most of which are hidden. Soil treatment makes the ground around the foundation repellent and/or toxic to termites so that they will not penetrate through the treated layer. Termite-specific baits have also been developed recently, with the intent of eliminating termite foraging in the vicinity of the structure (See Entfact 639, Termite Baits: A Guide for Homeowners).
Preventively treating a home for termites is a reasonable investment, especially if the structure has had no prior history of treatment. If the building was previously treated by a pest control firm, it's a good idea to maintain the warranty by paying the annual renewal fee. Should termites reinfest the building (which can happen even if the initial treatment was performed correctly), the company will return and retreat the affected area at no additional charge.

Whether or not a person chooses to have their home treated, they should know the signs of termite infestation:


pencil-thin mud tubes extending over the inside and outside surfaces of foundation walls, piers, sills, joists, etc.

the presence of winged (swarmer) termites, or their shed wings on window sills and along the edges of floors.

damaged wood hollowed out along the grain and lined with bits of mud or soil.
Detecting hidden termite infestation requires a trained eye. Most pest control firms perform inspections free of charge and will also alert the homeowner to any conditions they uncover which are conducive to termite attack.

[Ammok]

sugar I'm using decorative bark, what if the little beggards eat me fence!!!!!:eek:

We geta lot of ants under the patio, douse em with petrol and no problemo. Told a mate of mine this trick and everything went well until he decide to light the dam stuff, then had the blooming cheek to try and get me to pay for the damage,berk.

;)

[j.m@talk]

Umm bit like me that......... Was round at a friends house fixing his Sky Digibox....... I says don't touch the heatsink on the right its live...... So the pillock grabs my hand & touches the heatsink with his other hand :eek: My knees gave way :mad: (I was leaning on a chrome radiator)

Needless to say he can fix his own shizz in future.......

Freakin maniac :rolleyes:

[Ammok]

LMAO.LOL.

next time ask him to hold it whilst you adjust the potentiometer.:D

and a pair of rubber soled boots or Docmartins pvc airwalks always come in handy.:D

[Bob The Great]

I've heard of many alternatives to tenting. One they walk through your house with a really high powered elctric wand thing and since termites are mostly water it arcs through the wall and zaps them dead with no effect to your wall. I'm not sure about wires and such though.

Also blowing really hot air through your house (invite JM over?? :p) and that will kill them after about an hour without harming the plants outside. Either of those might be something to look into.

Otherwise transplant the thing if you can.

[Billforce]

What you do to get rid of them is pour alcohol on 1/2 the infected area and pile sand on the other half. The alcoholed termites will get drunk and throw rocks at the others and irradicate them, then set the alcohol on fire and the ones that escape the fire, you stab with an ice pick.:r

[j.m@talk]

Originally posted by Billforce
the ones that escape the fire, you stab with an ice pick.:r

You been watchin TV again Billy ;)

[seanieboy77]

Hey Bob thatnks for your reply that helps alot. But do you by any chance know if we call exterminaters to blow the hot air through the house. Because its not really inside our house its outside our house. But maybe theres a way to get a heater and blow the air through a hole in the outside of the house. Thanks!:t

[Picard]

Originally posted by j.m@talk21.com
Jezers Mocksy :rolleyes:

Little wormy things that eat wood & other organic materials,
Thus.....

In the larval, form, yeah, they are wormy, but adults look like ants, which I used to think they were closely related to. I tend to think of a termite as a type of ant, still.

Some pics here: http://www.termite.com/termites-usa.html

[Ammok]

thats a good read read picard, we don't don't get those little blighters over here, just aswell. plenty ants though.

[zybch]

Originally posted by j.m@talk21.com
You been watchin TV again Billy ;)

Its how he kills 'liberals'!

[Billforce]

Originally posted by zybch
Its how he kills 'liberals'!

No need, I simply lie back and let them kill themselves. Doesn't take long.:p