Homeowners/gardeners

[Dustoff]

I am dealing with some soil problems in our yard and need some advice.

After a year and a half of dealing with gaps in our hedge and plants not doing well at all in various areas, I suspect that both concrete leavings by the builders and acid being added to our septic tank before we purchased have caused the PH-level of the soil to change radically. Do any of you know where I may find a soil PH test kit in Chiang Mai? And the chemicals necessary to correct PH?

Also, we had the most dangerous and unpleasant experience of a young King Cobra suddenly appearing today when my wife moved a bag of topsoil in our carport. While I am comfortable with and have had non-poisonous snakes as pets in the past, picking up a King Cobra with my bare hands is simply not my forte. We ended up dancing around while sweeping him out into the street but I suspect he will be back and he is not the first one to appear in our yard. My wife, being the Buddhist she is, will not let me kill them so I am seeking alternatives.

I have seen in America the commercially made tongs-on-a-long-stick snake-grabbers and am wondering if such a thing is available in Chiang Mai. I know that I can manufacture a stick-and-rope catcher but would prefer something more reliable and safe. We have also considered putting a basket over them but that only works on totally flat ground or tile then we would have to call someone who comes and picks up such things and I would appreciate any phone numbers or alternative measures. I am not one to kill any creature unless necessary but my thought is that if a deadly threat shows up in my yard and could even enter our house, it's life is history but...

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[chownah]

Take a soil sample to Mae Jo University and have a free soil analysis done. Concrete waste shouldn't be a problem unless its a slab which would obviously not make for good plant growth. hahaha I also doubt that a septic tank additive would cause your problem. My guess is that by either digging out some bad soil and replacing it with better stuff or just adding alot of organic matter (cow manure, leaves, grass clippings, straw, rice hulls, peat moss etc.) would solve your problem

Chownah

[mongoose]

Dolomite will reduce soil acidity and is available in the shops that sell fertilizer. Not expensive.

Sometimes cleaning up and organizing the garden and space near a house will eliminate the kind of places snakes like to hang out. Some dogs yap at snakes and cause them to leave for more peaceful places.

Edited December 6, 2006 by mongoose

[Physherman]

I am dealing with some soil problems in our yard and need some advice.

After a year and a half of dealing with gaps in our hedge and plants not doing well at all in various areas, I suspect that both concrete leavings by the builders and acid being added to our septic tank before we purchased have caused the PH-level of the soil to change radically. Do any of you know where I may find a soil PH test kit in Chiang Mai? And the chemicals necessary to correct PH?

Also, we had the most dangerous and unpleasant experience of a young King Cobra suddenly appearing today when my wife moved a bag of topsoil in our carport. While I am comfortable with and have had non-poisonous snakes as pets in the past, picking up a King Cobra with my bare hands is simply not my forte. We ended up dancing around while sweeping him out into the street but I suspect he will be back and he is not the first one to appear in our yard. My wife, being the Buddhist she is, will not let me kill them so I am seeking alternatives.

I have seen in America the commercially made tongs-on-a-long-stick snake-grabbers and am wondering if such a thing is available in Chiang Mai. I know that I can manufacture a stick-and-rope catcher but would prefer something more reliable and safe. We have also considered putting a basket over them but that only works on totally flat ground or tile then we would have to call someone who comes and picks up such things and I would appreciate any phone numbers or alternative measures. I am not one to kill any creature unless necessary but my thought is that if a deadly threat shows up in my yard and could even enter our house, it's life is history but...

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Rimping Supermarkt sells a gallon bottle of "Snake Stopper" in the house cleaning area. It is just a combination of various natural repellents such as ginger, citronella, etc., and I have no idea if it works or not. I used to use mothballs to keep out squirrels and skunks from under my house or out of my attic for years. (But your aim has to be good.... )

As for your garden, there is a three-floor book/stationary store near the Irish Pub that sells Ph test strips on the third floor. If the soil is too acid, add something basic, etc. You can always recondition soil by adding cow manure, bat guano, mulch, etc. and turn it into sweeter or hotter soil.

The Fly Fisherman

[john b good]

I have seen in America the commercially made tongs-on-a-long-stick snake-grabbers and am wondering if such a thing is available in Chiang Mai. I know that I can manufacture a stick-and-rope catcher but would prefer something more reliable and safe. We have also considered putting a basket over them but that only works on totally flat ground or tile then we would have to call someone who comes and picks up such things and I would appreciate any phone numbers or alternative measures. I am not one to kill any creature unless necessary but my thought is that if a deadly threat shows up in my yard and could even enter our house, it's life is history but...

Any thoughts?

Thanks

I have seen guys using a length of plastic conduit around two metres long through which you run a looped length of single core reasonably light flexible electric wire.

You finish up with a loop at the business end and the two ends of the wire at your end of the pipe.

Carefully slip the loop over the snakes head and gently pull back on the wire at your end.

You can now nice and quietly take the snake to where you want to drop it off. Push forward on the wires releasing the loop and the snake is free.

Thinking more about it, the wire does not want to be too flexible as it's gotta be stiff enough to allow you to push it back thru the conduit to release the loop.

I have seen this sort of device used with snakes up to a couple of metres long.

[Dustoff]

Excellent advice, all.

We have already, of course, tried ox manure every other month, special fertilizers on the alternate months, lots of water, etc.. Will look for the Ph strips near the Irish Pub (which is where?)

The conduit for a snake catcher is also a great idea and I already have 1/2" aluminum which should do nicely. And wire is also da kine not only for pushing it back down the tube but it will maintain a loop rather than hanging limp and together. I will dull the edges of the business end and dip it in silicone caulk to keep it from cutting into the skin of larger snakes that have to be held tighter. That and a strong pillowcase type bag with a strong cord drawstring and we should be in business. I like a strong garlic oil to discourage snakes but decided that I actually like having them around but for the really deadly poisonous ones - I got one wife and one dog to worry about and the Cobra kills more people in the world than any other snake..

Thanks!

[ThaiPauly]

KING COBRA

Jeez Dusty I would have sh1t myself I am sure.

When I next come to your place I will be in full body armour

[Abrasol]

I am dealing with some soil problems in our yard and need some advice.

After a year and a half of dealing with gaps in our hedge and plants not doing well at all in various areas, I suspect that both concrete leavings by the builders and acid being added to our septic tank before we purchased have caused the PH-level of the soil to change radically. Do any of you know where I may find a soil PH test kit in Chiang Mai? And the chemicals necessary to correct PH?

Hi Dustoff,

Be sure to only use native seeds and plants, I've tried lots of Europeen (and non native)herbs and vegetable seeds, but they don't grow fine. Firstly they germ quickly but don't grow higher than 2-3 cm. This is not a soil problem but a genetic-one. Some grow higher during the cool season, but none grows as it should. I tried almost everything, no way!!!

Dolomite as well as PH strips are available at Nothern Chemicals at the Super High Way. At the beginning of S.H. Coming from the university, about half a mile (800m) at the left side.

And don't try to catch snakes with that "conduit-snake-catcher", firstly you can't carefully slip the loop over the snakes head and gently pull back! No snake of God's grey earth will hold still, unless it's weather eating or digesting a huge meal, or sick, or even half dead. Snakes are ###### quick. This selfmade snake catcher may work in theory or maybe in a terrarium. If you go to practise and try the thing, you'll notice that it's a kinda useless toy for most situations. Most of the time snakes flie from humans,- and in case as quick as they can, which means quicker than you may be able to get or even use your tool. If you deal with poisonous snakes, such a toy is even dangerous. 2 meters is not long enough to be on the safe side anyway! Thais know verry well why they kill them instead of catching'm.

PS: this one you may be able to catch with that tool

Edited December 10, 2006 by Abrasol

[Dustoff]

Hi Dustoff,

Be sure to only use native seeds and plants, I've tried lots of Europeen (and non native)herbs and vegetable seeds, but they don't grow fine. Firstly they germ quickly but don't grow higher than 2-3 cm. This is not a soil problem but a genetic-one. Some grow higher during the cool season, but none grows as it should. I tried almost everything, no way!!!

Dolomite as well as PH strips are available at Nothern Chemicals at the Super High Way. At the beginning of S.H. Coming from the university, about half a mile (800m) at the left side.

And don't try to catch snakes with that "conduit-snake-catcher", firstly you can't carefully slip the loop over the snakes head and gently pull back! No snake of God's grey earth will hold still, unless it's weather eating or digesting a huge meal, or sick, or even half dead. Snakes are ###### quick. This selfmade snake catcher may work in theory or maybe in a terrarium. If you go to practise and try the thing, you'll notice that it's a kinda useless toy for most situations. Most of the time snakes flie from humans,- and in case as quick as they can, which means quicker than you may be able to get or even use your tool. If you deal with poisonous snakes, such a toy is even dangerous. 2 meters is not long enough to be on the safe side anyway! Thais know verry well why they kill them instead of catching'm.

PS: this one you may be able to catch with that tool

Now THAT looks like one hapless frog!

My Thai wife is actually the gardener in our family and she uses all local and good quality plants/flowers. Most of our yard is a jungle by now and the hedge was in place when we bought the place. There are only three areas where nothing seems to grow right and one of them I know was where they dumped the excess concrete and water during building including where we added an extra room. I checked on the internet and concrete can have a Ph as high as 12-15 which means really alkaline, not acid.

We did remove some of the existing soil when we replaced the grass and added a few inches of topsoil. Things seemed to do well for a while then they all stared dying when they sunk roots, even small healthy trees. Digging deeper may be the answer but I will do a soil test first.

I know what you mean by grabbing snakes and I have done this many times before with the tongs-style stick but you sure takes your chances. I managed to sweep this one out into the street only because he couldn't get a decent grip on the tile of our carport but if he had been in the grass, forget it.

I let the non-poisonous ones, and even the mildly poisonous ones that are far from aggressive, cruise but King Cobras are a bit over my tolerance limit especially since they kill SO many people in the world. I think I am just going to have to send my wife in the house and chop em up for venturing so close and becoming a threat. The wife also has the cultural superstition built in that if you kill one, many more will come.

Will check out Northern Chemicals - thanks for your input.