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Old 04-26-09, 06:55 PM   #1
Tony Raine
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Default Repelling Snakes and killing weeds

I'm looking for some "natural" ways to get rid of snakes in my rather large yard. Right now I don't have a prevention method, just a shovel and shotgun. I would like to avoid these methods as much as possible.

So I have been researching different DIY methods to get rid of them. I know they are beneficial, but they can be beneficial somewhere else. I don't want my wife or small dog or cat getting bitten.

so far:

-moth balls in sacks (behind my fence near a drainage ditch, i know they are poisonous to animals. i would like to avoid this one)
-ammonia
-cat poop
-marigolds

i have an area behind my fence that i believe is the main source of snakes. you can see this in my intro thread here, where i do a walk-thru of my property. this is where i wish to apply both a snake repellent, and something to keep the weeds down (poison ivy, etc....) my animals do not tread here, and it is blocked off from access by outside animals. basically i want a "dead zone" between the ditch and my yard.

thoughts?

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Old 04-26-09, 08:33 PM   #2
Higgy
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Woah...remind me not to visit your house.

Here's some things I found about snakes.

Keeping Snakes In Their Place
WikiAnswers - How do you keep snakes out of your yard

As for killing weeds. Do you have grass in your yard? If so, just let it grow long and thick and make sure to overseed every year. That should choke out most weeds. The only other thing you can do is fertilize it with some kinds of natural fertilizer. That's all I got.
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Old 04-26-09, 09:38 PM   #3
Tony Raine
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thanks for the links!

you can visit, as long as you dont look like a snake

i've been face to face with most types of poisonous snakes in the south. rattlesnakes, water moccasins, etc.... had a 5 foot rattlesnake strike my boot one time as a child, and the war was on from there. if i see a snake in my yard, it exits in more than one piece.

i just blasted a water moccasin that decided to take up residence on top of the engine in my riding mower. quite a surprise to sit on the seat, and have a snake staring at you. no, i didn't shoot the mower i "persuaded" him into the yard first.

i dont really care about weeds in the yard. basically i want to nuke the area behind my fence, since it isn't really "yard". i'll probably use the ammonia + salt + dish soap combo for that, and random edging around the sidewalk, porch, etc....
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Old 04-26-09, 09:48 PM   #4
Tony Raine
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heres a little visual (old pic)

to the left is my yard, to the right is the drainage ditch. the ditch has a hole that allows water to flow into the yard, so that needs to be repaired. a recent ice storm has blessed me with enough tree branches to frame out a dam to re-direct flow. but i have a ton of branches and vines to wade through first.

heres the plan so far:

-nuke all grass and vines you see in pic (it looks a lot worse now)
-clear debris/trim back trees
-repair ditch-wall by driving homemade "posts" into the ground, and making a fence for dirt to build up against
-dig a trench along fence line, and bury a barrier (i have access to long strips of window screen that i may use)
-apply (yet to be determined) snake deterrent. i have a 20 lb cat that may supply materials, haha.

-
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Old 04-27-09, 08:27 AM   #5
Higgy
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LOL...20 lb cat...holy. Is it half bobcat?

Ya, I'll try not to dress up as a snake if I come visit.

That windows screen would probably work as long as it's deep enough in the ground and high enough they can't get over it. I know nothing about snakes except what I've read so you'd know better then me. We have terrorist snow flakes in the winter though...man you gotta dodge those suckers.

I was going to suggest putting down some kind of mulch on top of the whole strip of area you don't want growing...but A) that looks like a huge strip...and B) if it's not in your yard why spend money on mulch. Although even if you spray it, it will probably come back after a while. Hey, if you had a wood chipper you could chop down some of that stuff behind your house and make your own mulch.
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Old 04-27-09, 09:59 AM   #6
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haha, he's a beast, thats for sure. long enough to put his front paws on a countertop with his back feet still on the floor.

from what i've read, a barrier needs to be about 6" deep to keep snakes from burrowing under it. pickets are close enough together to keep something from slithering in-between. i'll have to get creative under the gate.

yeah, i know i'll have to re-apply to keep the grass down. i may just mow it low later on, but right now i want a blank slate to start with.
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Old 05-05-09, 01:58 PM   #7
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You could try an owl decoy. Keep moving it around from fencepost to fencepost so the critters don't get used to it sitting dumbly in the same spot all summer long. A good garden center should have one.

I've used "Terror Eyes" from Bird-X in an airplane hangar to keep birds out. I don't know if it'd work on snakes. You could email them and see if they have anything to deter snakes.

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