Mulch, permaculture and vipers
I really want to follow the permaculture in my plot. I understand how useful is the mulch and straw for the soil and plants. But I really hate the snakes.
I usually don’t have problem with wild fauna. I was study about fauna, I work many years for wild animals protection, I let a brown bear to whittle my hand, I snuggle a baby wolf, I help big birds of prey and many other animals but I hate snakes.
In the area of my plot we have vipers. It’s the most dangerous snake in my country. Usually we clean all the weeds around the house so it’s easier to protect ourselves from vipers. It’s easier to see a snake in a clean space.
If I cover all my plot with mulch or straw it will be a sweet home for snakes. I really don’t want to have a viper near my tomato plants or to annoy a snake as I walk in my plot.
Last year I was saw 3 snakes. Two of them were big snakes so they were not poisonous. The third it was like viper and came near the house a noon. This year I didn’t see a snake until now but I am sure I will.
So… I don’t know what to do with mulch…
It’s not an easy question to answer. Every year the mulch and compost in my garden is home to some animal. One year I found rats nest in my compost. I occasionally see a rat or mouse in my garden, but not usually very serious. Last year I had a duck!
http://www.patnsteph.net/weblog/2009/04/garlic-duck/
This year and last I’ve also seen a lot of frogs in my mulch.
Is there an animal that the snakes don’t like? Maybe large birds? Can you do anything to attract these to your garden?
Nice of Patrick to send us off to your new blog, Mary. As you can see I have a new blog too. I used to be on Hills and Plains Seedsavers.
In Australia we have a lot of very dangerous snakes and I do not know of anything we gardeners can do about this. In 50 years of seeing snakes every year, I have never been bitten but, like you, I hate them!
@Patrick the area has birds of prey but I don’t think they can eat all the snakes
Last year my cat went after a big green snake but I stop my cat because it lives in city and has no idea about snakes.
Honestly I prefere rats,mice and ducks in my plot than vipers
@Kate welcome! yes Patrick help a lot you and others to find me again after I change my domain. I had no idea about your new blog, I add Hills and Plains in my links for you so now I will change the url.
I think in Australia it’s worst than here
Get 2-3 aggressive chickens. They will eat the small snakes. Or, build a shelter for hedgehogs. Both methods are effective and widely used in Bulgaria.
I really like Svetla’s comment, and I think something like this is what you need to do. Aggressive chickens sometimes destroy plants too… Also, chickens need to be taken care of while you’re away from your plot. I’ve had hedgehogs living in my mulch before too, and this might really work well.
If you are going to get mulch to work, and not have too many snakes, you’ll probably need to figure out something along these lines.
@Svetla I love hedgehogs I grow some babies in past. I never saw one around the plot but if I found I will take it in plot for sure.
Chickens are my plan for future, now I can’t feed them because I don’t live there permanent.
@Patrick yes I like it too. I had seen a video in youtube I think with chickens and a small snake. But you are right this moment I can’t take care chickens.
On another subject, did you get my email of a week or so ago about your blog? The home and about links on the bottom of the page are broken, and I just noticed your RSS feed is also missing your last two articles.
New blog pains!
Hi Patrick!
No I didn’t receive your email
Let’s see
1)”About” link is ok now
2)”contact” link is ok now
3)Feed from feedburner problem is strange! I will search about (updateQ ok I think I just fix it)
thanks anyway
No, the ‘home’ and ‘about’ links are still broken. Try clicking on them. They have http://www.gaiashope instead of http://www.gaiashope.com. The contact link is fine.
oups!
ok I just fix the links