Thread: What's in your garden?

I finally got around to hacking back the grass behind the house and found a hole in the ground by the wall. It is a large hole, about the size of a rabbit hole and I have noticed the complete absence of rabbits around here.
The gf said 'snake'. I didn't know they can excavate such a big hole. Anway, this morning I looked out of the kitchen window and saw the snake, which disappeared into its hole after I alarmed it.



Probably the same Keeled rat snake I saw a while back, although it looks longer. A good 2m long and it moved quickly once it decided to take off.

If it is a rat snake, what are my options? My main concern is the gf's small dogs, which have no track record with big snakes.

Originally Posted by Shutree

I finally got around to hacking back the grass behind the house and found a hole in the ground by the wall. It is a large hole, about the size of a rabbit hole and I have noticed the complete absence of rabbits around here.
The gf said 'snake'. I didn't know they can excavate such a big hole. Anway, this morning I looked out of the kitchen window and saw the snake, which disappeared into its hole after I alarmed it.



Probably the same Keeled rat snake I saw a while back, although it looks longer. A good 2m long and it moved quickly once it decided to take off.

If it is a rat snake, what are my options? My main concern is the gf's small dogs, which have no track record with big snakes.

I would get rid of the snake. Sure snakes are cute but they belong in the swamp or rice patty, not in your yard, especially if you have children. If you are walking through the grass and accidentally step on him you know he is going to bite you. I have a 10 year old daughter, I wouldn't have a snake in my yard.

Originally Posted by tunk

I would get rid of the snake. Sure snakes are cute but they belong in the swamp or rice patty, not in your yard, especially if you have children. If you are walking through the grass and accidentally step on him you know he is going to bite you. I have a 10 year old daughter, I wouldn't have a snake in my yard.

It is only the gf and I who are here, togther with her three dogs. She isn't very bothered by the rat snake and it is her job to go and cut that lemongrass near the snake's hole when she needs it.



On the plus side, I haven't seen any rats around here.

Maybe now the grass is cut it the snake will move on. Unless that big hole is a nest. I'll give it some time and see what happens. If it is unfriendly then I'll tell the neighbours - old Isan farmers, that snake will be straight in the pot.

After a very good lamyai harvest, a wheelbarrow full, time to trim the tree. I watched two videos of Thai men trimming lamyai. To me it looked like the where butchering the tree with their machettes, but I understood what they where doing. First take the center out so light shines down through. Then they stripped every major branch except for the last 2 or 3 small branches. Tree trimming tip. If you want to end up with your tree really round, see there is a piece of rope in there, tie it around the tree and walk out 8 or 10 feet or whatever and tie it to a pole or piece of pvc. Just hold the pole plumb and look up where to trim. Easy to get a very round tree trim. Following what the Thai man did, this is what I came up with.

My daughter has always thought she wanted a treehouse, she is going to get her wish. I will start small to see if she is brave enough, she is a Thai girl and not very brave. And keep it small to see if she is interested, she looses interest in things pretty fast. The tree is very healthy, maybe 13 years old, and I will build doing the least damage I can. The local sawmill I can buy any kind of lumber I want. Botton line is I'm fucking cranked. I'll be 65 in Sept. and I get to build a treehouse. Who has ever got to build a nice treehouse?