A Snake in the Grass

Day one of tips for and experiences in gardening.

Today I saw my friend the garter snake at the bottom of the stairs outside. Though I know there are snakes in my yard, the sudden sight of him at my feet is always a bit frightening.

Aversion aside, I know he does a great job eating slugs and other large insects that might harm the gardens I've planted this year. Along with his son or daughter (the other, smaller snake that lives in the same hole), he helps keep the natural balance in my favor. Regretfully, he might also eat some of the small frogs in the grass that I've seen this week (they'll eat bad insects too), but I'm hoping they all can live in harmony as they help guard my plants against invasion. It's getting close to harvest time and after losing some plants to the hail in June, it would be nice to enjoy a nice bounty.

Many gardeners try hard to rid themselves of pests. Snakes and frogs may be seen as pests by some, but I say, "Bring them in!" I've yet to build many habitats in my garden to encourage their presence, but that time is coming. I did move a large rock closer to the snake's hole so he has a little more protection from predators and a little more warmth in the morning. For now the few reptiles are only there because the natural habitat encourages them.

We modify our environment by constructing a house and planting a garden and in that process we disrupt the nature that we often are seeking with our outdoor hobbies like gardening. The easiest thing to do to help restore balance is to not interfere too much. If you have to remove a habitat, try to restore one near by.

Pesticides may get rid of one pest, but may harm the beneficial presence of another. The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) fosters an environmentally sensitive approach to managing pests in your garden. I'll highlight that and many other topics in days ahead. As this blog progresses, I'll discuss many things to make your garden better, for you and your plants.

For now, live and let live. If you have snakes, rejoice. It's okay to shiver when you see them, but just pause, maybe walk another way, and feel good that they're on the job. Your garden and our world would be worse without them.

(Modified in October 2010 from the original posting)

Day one of tips for and experiences in gardening.

Today I saw my friend the garter snake at the bottom of the stairs outside. Though I know there are snakes in my yard, the sudden sight of him at my feet is always a bit frightening.

Aversion aside, I know he does a great job eating slugs and other large insects that might harm the gardens I've planted this year. Along with his son or daughter (the other, smaller snake that lives in the same hole), he helps keep the natural balance in my favor. Regretfully, he might also eat some of the small frogs in the grass that I've seen this week (they'll eat bad insects too), but I'm hoping they all can live in harmony as they help guard my plants against invasion. It's getting close to harvest time and after losing some plants to the hail in June, it would be nice to enjoy a nice bounty.

Many gardeners try hard to rid themselves of pests. Snakes and frogs may be seen as pests by some, but I say, "Bring them in!" I've yet to build many habitats in my garden to encourage their presence, but that time is coming. I did move a large rock closer to the snake's hole so he has a little more protection from predators and a little more warmth in the morning. For now the few reptiles are only there because the natural habitat encourages them.

We modify our environment by constructing a house and planting a garden and in that process we disrupt the nature that we often are seeking with our outdoor hobbies like gardening. The easiest thing to do to help restore balance is to not interfere too much. If you have to remove a habitat, try to restore one near by.

Pesticides may get rid of one pest, but may harm the beneficial presence of another. The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) fosters an environmentally sensitive approach to managing pests in your garden. I'll highlight that and many other topics in days ahead. As this blog progresses, I'll discuss many things to make your garden better, for you and your plants.

For now, live and let live. If you have snakes, rejoice. It's okay to shiver when you see them, but just pause, maybe walk another way, and feel good that they're on the job. Your garden and our world would be worse without them.

(Modified in October 2010 from the original posting)