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mira_dunham

moving to Huntsville

mira_dunham
18 years ago

My husband is considering a job at Redstone Arsenal. We will consider living up to an hour away.

I've heard that there are some swampy areas in northern Alabama, and the talk of snakes and gators makes me cringe. What advice do ya'll have for us? What type of soil do you have? Any good or really bad school districts to avoid?

Any info you could provide would be extremly helpful.

Thanks,

Rachel

z7, Maryland, lots of clay, few snakes

Comments (45)

  • lsmcw
    18 years ago

    Sorry to disappoint but there are no gators in North Alabama, and to my knowledge, no swamps. This is hilly farm land. Yes there are snakes but unless you go looking for them you probably won't see many. Unless the soil has been farmed out, it is generally rich and black - good for growing stuff. You are close to the mountains of the Blue Ridge and less than a day's drive to the Gulf Coast. North Alabama is God's Country. Welcome. Linda

  • outsideplaying_gw
    18 years ago

    I have lived in this area all my life. We lived in Huntsville when our kids were in school and now live in the country (Morgan county). In answer to your questions.

    Yes, there are swampy areas. Huntsville and the surrounding counties are located on the Tennessee River, so that's natural. But the residential areas in or near these areas are few because most of the "swamps" are on the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. The one thing you should be aware of is buying a house in a flood plain or near a creek, etc where that could be an issue. There are a few locations where flood insurance is required. It is fairly rare to hear about snakes in heavily residential areas, but it can happen, especially where there is a lot of green space. Most snakes are non-poisonous, but we have some copperheads, rattlesnakes & cottonmouths (water moccasins). We've lived in the country 6 years and have only seen 1 rattlesnake and it was not near our house.
    We have mostly limestone formations as a sub-soil structure, with good old Alabama Red Clay soil for the most part. We're also zone 7 so that should not be a huge adjustment. We deal with our clay probably like you do - amendments, etc. Free mulch is available at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.

    As a former Government engineer (I retired last Feb), I think Redstone offers a lot of opportunities and is relatively easy to access from a 30-50 mile radius. I can give you some info on schools, etc. The ages of your kids would be useful to know and also what interests you might have. You can e-mail me and I'll give you more detail. (alspach224@aol.com or at alspache@battelle.org). Best of luck to you.
    Elaine

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  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA! You sound exactly like me when I was informed (many years ago) that I was moving to coastal SC. There, however, my fears of snakes, 'gators, rednecks, and huge spiders were justified, lol! Add wild pigs to the mix, redbugs and sandgnats. I lived there for over 20 years and loved every minute of it.

    YOUR fears are completely unfounded. You're simply suffering from the same preconceived notions about the South that many people have. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I know you will be!

    The biggest difference for you may be this bright red clay! I've learned to like to garden and landscape in it. I don't know where Linda's rich black soil is. And wait until you see the acres and acres of cotton fields next fall. (No, cotton isn't picked by hand, anymore.)

    The nightmares you are having about big ol gators and slithering snakes lurking in those murky, steamy swamps are one hundred percent unfounded up here. You have just as much a chance coming into contact with something like that right in your own back yard in Maryland. You're more likely to step on a rocket scientist than a snake.

    Northern Alabama is a truly beautiful area, offering a great deal to do, good stores and restaurants, and I expect that you will be very pleased with the housing market.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Huntsville information

  • tedp2
    18 years ago

    Rhizo, Linda's rich black soil is all up and down the river and creek bottom lands. Where did you find red clay? I lived in H'ville 18 1/2 yr and saw mostly red loam which was almost as rich as the black bottom land. I bought some sandy gravelly land and had a fantastic garden on Brindley Mountain about ten miles south of Huntsville. Moved away to a house on Lake Neely Henry in Rainbow City upon retirement.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    Nearly every single consulting job I've been to in Huntsville has been a property planted into hard, red clay. Sheesh, I can hardly remember the last time I was able to make good use of my soil probe! My husband and I, also, live on red clay. It can't be worked with a shovel until you soak it for a few minutes; it's rather like trying to dig into stone. Terrible pale clay in some of the properties I've been to in Athens, too.

    There was a property I visited in Decatur, though. Just over the river. What gorgeous soil. I almost fell on my face (literally) when I pushed the soil probe in....so loose and so deep. The probe sunk clear up to the hilt!

    Also, I've taught lots of classes since I've been here in Huntsville, and the red clay has certainly been the norm among a wide variety of students.

    Personally, I've found that with one good amendment and a deep tined tiller, the clay soil is just great to garden in. No one should be afraid of it.

  • mira_dunham
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Let's see if I've got this right.
    Decatur has great soil, but it is near the wildlife refuge, which means wildlife of the reptilian kind.
    North of Huntsville has less reptiles (good), but more clay (not as good). We have clay that looks like you could dig it up and throw it on a wheel and fire it, except for all the rocks. We also had a black snake under the porch, which wouldn't be too bad except that I'm phobic.
    Athens has a pail clay, but you treat it about the same.
    The red loam sounds nice.
    The housing market looks awsome, For what we'll get for our three bedroom townhouse we can buy five bedrooms and three acres!
    Since we don't need that much room I'll have enough money to do some nice gardens.
    Thank you all for the great info. Now I'll just keep my fingers crossed

  • mlogsdon
    18 years ago

    North Alabama is a wonderful place to live. I've lived here for about 18 months. There are alligators here, but they're quite rare. In fact, one large gator lives on Redstone Arsenal in a test area. I've seen only one snake since I've been here, and it was on the Arsenal. The south edge of the Arsenal borders the Tennessee River and includes part of the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, but that's not bad. It's much like a park setting and has lots of trees, birds, and wildlife. I've seen deer, wild turkeys, skunks, foxes, etc. I can attest to the red clay too. And if you like gardens, you should visit the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Also, we're about 15 miles from the state of Tennessee, and many government employees live up there. If you like to visit large cities, Huntsville is about 100 miles from Nashville and Birmingham, and is about six hours from the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Huntsville Botanical Garden

  • johninbelmont
    18 years ago

    I grew up in Huntsville. It's a great place to raise a family.

    I've attached the URL for the maps from the City of Huntsville's GIS website. There is some interesting information of the website. My personal favorite map is TORNADOS from 1950-2002 (under the MISCELLANEOUS tab).

    Here is a link that might be useful: Maps of Huntsville

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    SHHHHHHHHush! We weren't going to tell her about the tornadoes!

  • outsideplaying_gw
    18 years ago

    Hey, there are tornadoes in Maryland too. I have a friend who lives in Bryantown (near DC), and their little community suffered quite a bit of damage in the spring of 2002. As long as Mira doesn't move into a "tornado magnet" (house on wheels), odds are good.

  • meadow_lark
    18 years ago

    I LOVE Huntsville! I moved here from Orlando (originally from North Jersey)...

    We have 10 acres in New Market - at the base of Berry Mountain.

    I have 3 medium-sized gardens - and I'm thrilled! The soil is tricky... (I go to the cotton gin mill in Hazel Green and load up on free gin dirt.) It's light and fluffy - and the plants LOVE it! This stuff is NOT for veggie gardens however - due to some of the chemicals used for spraying cotton. (So far - I don't glow in the dark - and my skin is not falling off...)

    We've spent 5 years trying to get the place fixed up, and it's just starting to look "kept".

    We have all kinds of wildlife, and my place is practically a wild bird sanctuary. I have 11 feeders, 4 birdbaths and birds nesting everywhere.

    We should think about a "Get Together" sometime - with all of the Garden Webbers in the Huntsville area, maybe during the Spring Plant Sale at the Botanical Garden!

    The plant sale is April 20th - 23rd this year (I think). (It's my FAVORITE day of the year. I take off from work on Thursday, which is the "Members Only" day, and shop till I drop!) I've volunteered there - and it's a wonderful place.

    We could meet on Saturday or Sunday during the sale - and say "Hi" to each other in person... Maybe even walk around the garden! And you could take home some GREAT plants, and benefit the HSV BG!

    Meadow Lark

  • outsideplaying_gw
    18 years ago

    Hey Meadow Lark, that's a great idea. I'd love to say 'Hi' to the great folks around here. We'll have to stay in touch between now and April and arrange something. Thanks for thinking about us.
    Elaine

  • topsiebeezelbub
    18 years ago

    Well, Mira, I always say that it depends on where you are from. Coming from Maryland shouldn't be too much of an adjustment...from Santa Barbara, California...OY! I'v been here 30 winters and hated every one of them. Twelve months of summer (coll summer, that is)is hard to forget. I was expecting weeping willow trees, but hardly say any. Planted one by my pond. We are right downtown, and have about 18" of good black soil on top of nasty red clay, so it is pretty rich from years of leaf conpost. The biggest challenge here is to keep the property fro returning to wilderness...trees pop up everywhere and lot os vine...Jackson vine, honeysuckle, wisteria, Carolina Moon Seed and Potato vines all try to strangle each other. We are in the foothills of the Applalachias. Huntsville is more cosmopolitan than the rest of the state and ther are cultural events. Yes, the best day of the year is plant sale at the botanical gardens. I would love to meet you all, too...feel that I know some of you already. Ask more questions by all means, and welcome! Topsie.

  • scandia
    18 years ago

    Huntsville is ranked the NUMBER 1 City to live in in the US.
    Do you have kids??? May I ask that?
    Yes there are gators on the Arsenal...They were brought in years ago to control something I can't remember what. Some of them do still live there..Other then that I have never seen a gator in the wild.

    Snakes..yep there are snakes...But the bad kind usually stay in wild areas..If you find any in your yard just put mothballs out mothballs chase snakes away..Because the smell interferes with their senses. If you go into wild areas just becareful.

    And hour away during RUSH hour to the Arsenal could be a lot closer then you think..Best thing to do is get on the road around 7:30am and see what the traffic is like.

    What kind of things are you interested in?

  • scandia
    18 years ago

    Duh Sorry I am new and just realized I could look at your page to find out if you have children..

    I moved here 7 years ago from Fredericksburg Virginia..I have lived in many large cities through out my life. Huntsville is kind of a small big town if that makes sense..Everybody that has moved here from someplace else usually moves to Madison a Real Estate Agents dream is an out of towner that does not know the area..

    Real Estate in Madison is double sometimes triple the price ..There is a school K-12 called Madison Academy in Madison > that is good..Most of the schools are pretty good here though.

    Buckhorn High School >and Randolph > are the only Blue Ribbon Schools in the State, last time I checked.

    New Market is the "New Madison" According to my broker...New Market has excellent schools. Acreage in New Market goes for about $5,000 an acre.

    Not that you would be thinking about schools for your little one's yet. But verses resale of your property if need be, can be effected by the schools.

    Are you a city Girl?? I am...I love it here...There is not a lot of culture here...some museums but not as many as you would think verses the size of the city.

    People here are FRIENDLY..Some are small townie > Meaning they GOSSIP a lot..I don't know how you feel about gossipy people. I like to avoid that kind of thing...

  • mira_dunham
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    you guys are so great. The moth ball tip is probably my favorite,lol. When in the "wilds" can I attach them to my shoes? Would that keep them away?
    My hubby is trying to decide between Huntsville and a promotion in England, so we still aren't sure if we'll be there.
    I have two children, aged three and four. My son is in a great three year old pre-school program this year, and I want him to continue next year, and have my daughter in an equally great program. I'd really like them to be in the same building, but am not looking for child care, or even an all day school.
    Besides my gardens I enjoy shopping, crafts, reading and horses. Can't say that I "enjoy" working out, but it has become necessary.
    We have one dog and one cat, however as soon as I can convince hubby I'll have a small zoo, lol.
    If we move it will be in summer, so I'll have to bide my time with preparing beds and making compost.
    Oh and the maps from John are great, they'll be even better when I figure out how to apply all that info to my needs.
    I don't have to worry about the tornado magnets, though it does increase my desire for a basement.

  • scandia
    18 years ago

    England or Huntsville that's a hard decision..Moving to England would be good for your kids. But they might be too young to remember depending on how long you plan on staying there..Makes them worldly.

    Can you take your animals??? I think your kids are too small for you to own a horse on your own property yet. I actually moved here because my daughter loves horses..We had 3 at one time..Now we only have 1..The property was SO cheap..We had them right in our back yard..Well WAY back..The entire back part of my property is pastures for the horse (s)...

    I do know that property is sky HIGH in England...

    It depends on what you want I guess..I would not move to England to settle there...Huntsville is a good place to settle...You are still young...living in different places is good for you.. I think...Like I said before I have lived in many places...BUT I am 45 now and have settled in AL...I love the weather...Summers are VERY humid...but not much different then Maryland..Winters are relatively mild...much better then Virginia was when I lived there..

    My property did get damaged during Katrina...Katrina knocked down 3 LARGE trees on the back of my property.

    Mothballs are poison to children...Just thought you should know this...I had copperheads on my property in Virginia Mothballs did work to chase them away. But at the time my children were old enough to understand the word poison and they stayed away from them.

    I do not go into wild areas in the heat of summer here...Deliberately avoiding snakes...Cottonmouth's will actually attack a human on purpose sometimes falling out of a tree onto you. Cottonmouth's and Copperhead's live in Virginia and parts of Maryland too. So I am assuming that you are a city girl...Or live in a very developed area..

    There is not more snake risk here then there is in the wild areas of Maryland..

  • scandia
    18 years ago

    Just wanted to tell you I started my Daughter's Riding lessons when she was 6. She has natural ability verses horses...By age 7 she was a very skilled rider, she could ride any horse in the stable where she was having her lessons. One of the reasons I moved here was because of the family oriented communities..And the cheap land. I bought a place big enough so my Daughter could have her own horses. When she was 12 I bought her an untrained pony. Within 3 months she had the pony trained and was riding him..He actually was too little for her to ride regularly. That horse is grown now and an excellent family horse. My daughter is a very accomplished rider and horse trainer..a prodigy..(at least I think she is a prodigy) ((proud mommie))

    She now is very atheletic..is on the Volleyball team, the Soccer team and the Baseball team...I really believe the early exposure to riding training gave her emense atheletic skill, and confidence in her abilities..

  • scandia
    18 years ago

    I was reading some comments re the soil here...My yard is Red Clay..Things that love Red Clay...Gardenia, daylilies, blackeyed susan, dogwood, Crape Myrtle, bulbs actually grow well in it but do not split as easily verses bulbs planted in amended soil..Lets see what else have I had overwhelming luck with.......Hosta, clematis, four o'clocks, persian lilac. If you like roses they would do better in ammended soil...And japanese beetles are abundant here they like to eat flowers...I simply put a female praying mantis in my rose garden and poof no more japanese beetles..in spring and fall we get swarms of ladybugs....I mean they get in the house and everything.

    My vegetable garden is ammended with peat moss,paper, and horse manure and I get good yields..

    I am sure there are a lot of other plants that do well in clay..I just am not that good of a gardener so I try to keep it simple.

  • johninbelmont
    18 years ago

    Regarding snakes in the trees: that's a myth.

    I did research on the matter after I sold my house in Huntsville to a woman who "loved the garden"; who then cut down every plant and tree on the property. She had moved to Huntsville from Virginia and had been told the exact same thing.

    One source (The Florida State Museum of Natural History) states: "Some people believe Cottonmouths lie in wait on tree limbs overhanging water so they can drop into boats. These are usually cases of mistaken identity. The harmless brown watersnake often basks on tree limbs over the water, and when frightened by a rapidly approaching boat, they will escape by throwing themselves off the limb and into the water. Occasionally their flight comes too late and they fall into the boat. Cottonmouths feed on fish, frogs, mice, rats, and other small mammals."

    I watch out for the tornados and extra helpings of grease in the food, before becoming concerned about snakes :o)

  • mira_dunham
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I know that my snake phobia is irrational, but isn't that the definition of a phobia? We have pretty much the same wildlife here in Maryland, but that doesn't make me like them more or fear them less. i can't even handle photos of snakes. While working on a horse farm one spring there was a dead baby(maybe 3 inches) blacksnake that got caught in a late snow. I couldn't do anything that day, and had to have someone move my car for me.
    Mentally I understand that they are great pest control, but I can't seem to convince my body not to scream, run, or crinkle up as small as possible. Not to mention the nightmares. but don't worry I know that they are a part of life and try natural ways to keep them on their side of the fence.
    True city- girls would consider me a hick, and true country folk think I'm a city girl, so I guess suburbanite would be the best description. I'm pretty comfortable anywhere, at least as long as there are no snakes around, lol.

  • tedp2
    18 years ago

    I lived in H'ville for 18 years and had a garden on Brindly Mt. most of that time. It had sandy/gravelly soil and produced fantastic vegies. I fished a lot in Guntersville Lake and gathered muscadine grapes from the overhanging bushes with vines in Town Creek and Short Creek each fall. Contrary to what John says I twice had cottonmouth snakes fall into my boat as I pulled underneath overhanging bushes. I am an Alabama native and DO know the difference between cottonmouths and brown water snakes. In both cases I was able to flip the snake over into the water with my paddle so there was no danger.
    Actually the number of snakes you will encounter will be very small unless you spend a lot of time in the woods or swamps.

  • mira_dunham
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Bet we can all guess where I won't be spending much time, lol.

  • sweet_betsy No AL Z7
    18 years ago

    Hi Mira,

    Come on down! You will love Alabama the Beautiful. Forget the snakes and gators--you won't see them unless you go looking for them. We would love to have you in Decatur--only a short drive to Redstone Arsenal.

  • scandia
    18 years ago

    I have seen Cottonmouths in trees before so it is not a myth...Blowing sunshine re the snakes is just not fair to Mira...Cottonmouths are notorious for initiating attacks on humans...They don't just hang out in parks or back yards though..I mean you have to be in a wild area that is swampy or near water before you see one..A friend of mine was fishing.... All of a sudden a 8ft long Cottonmouth was in his boat. Everybody jumped out of the boat except him..Jumping out of the boat...not smart...He did manage to disable the snake. They pretty much are fearless and territorial, will attack humans IF the human is in their environment..You should know that cottonmouths live in Maryland too. If you choose to live in the middle of nowhere on undeveloped land you will see snakes..If you choose to live in a developed area odds are you will not see poisonous smakes..I have an 8ft long black racer on my property..This is a constrictor snake not poisonous...I leave him there because constrictor snakes chase off poisonous snakes...And control rodents.

  • kattlin
    18 years ago

    I am 29 years old, I have lived in Huntsville, Alabama most of my life, born in Arab(great city, live there now), raised in Huntrsville, traveled here and there, I have never seen an alligator in Alabama, period!!! Snakes yes, but then again I own a few, they are wonderful loving creatures, if you take the time to get to know them, I also own a pet skunk and chicken, all of wich CAN be domesticated. They are more loving than a cat or a dog. Definately more so than the hampsters or fish. And snakes won't bother you unless they are frightened by you.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    Ok, NOW we're stretching all sensible rules of 'yarn spinning', lollolololol! Dearest Mira, I PROMISE you...from the deepest bottom of my heart...that there is NO such thing as an 8 foot Cottonmouth. Not here in the Tennessee Valley or in the deepest darkest murky shadows of Florida or along the snake filled banks of the Mississippi.

    I've been called on to ID snakes many a time, both in SC where I lived for much of my life, and here. In every instance here, the snake alarms were a case of mistaken identity. Cottonmouths or rattle snakes turned out to be big ol' water snakes or hognose snakes or other. Those hefty and mean looking diamond backed water snakes are the mostly likely candidates for the falling out of trees scenerio, just because they are much more common. But cottonmouths can be found basking along tree branches, occasionally. They are not 'attacking' if they fall out of the tree, however. Remember, snakes don't hear but sense a presence by vibrations. You can be singing your head off, splashing around like crazy and a snake can't 'hear' you if its in a tree branch. They scare the crap out of themselves in a frenzy to escape once they've been surprised by the yokels in the boat! What a funny sight. I can vouch for it, having experienced it myself.

    All of this snake talk is making matter much worse for you, I'm afraid. No wait....YOU'RE afraid, I'm concerned! ;-) Tell you what. When you move here, I'll be more than happy to come out and check out your yard and neighborhood for 'snake potential', would that make you feel more confidant? Knowledge is power. And if you feel like you're the one in control, you won't be so nervous about snakes. I have a phobia myself (spiders), but have learned to control IT rather than have it control ME!

    And remember...no 8 foot cottonmouths exist except in your nightmares. ;-)

  • ourhighlandhome
    18 years ago

    My God people...is this the Alabama Forum or the Twilight Zone?! Lions and tigers and bears - oh, my!

    Gators patrolling the waterways; snakes attacking from tree limbs? We also have bobcats, mountain lions, wild boars, and coyotes. Don't forget the fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers and lice! Yes, LICE! (If your children attend public schools they'll come home with lice the size of handballs. I've seen them used for batting practice, but that's another story.)

    And speaking of schools, remember the three "R's" - racists, rednecks and Republicans. Contrary to popular belief, all three have been known to attack from tree limbs, or is that with tree limbs? Maybe both.

    At any rate, life is short - don't sweat the small stuff. (Unless it's bacteria, which we also have in abundance. Did I mention it's the flesh-eating kind?)

    Nelson ;-)

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    ROFL! Hilarious!

  • terramadre
    18 years ago

    Hug Nelson

  • decolady01
    18 years ago

    Mira, I hope some of this talk hasn't scared you off of Alabama. We moved here 24 years ago and built a house on Rainbow Mountain in Madison. Our soil there was wonderful dark loam. It depends on where you buy property as to what the soil is like. My sister also bought a house in Madison. Hers is in a neighborhood that was built in what used to be a cotton field. It is red clay and she has ameneded it as needed. Currently we live a few blocks from downtown Huntsville. The soil here is also a dark loam.

    There may be a few swampy spots, but those would be mainly in creek or river bottom areas. There are several mountains around (when we moved here our realtor said this was the foothills of the Smoky Mtns). I moved here from Louisiana/Texas and the change from totally flat landscape to houses on the sides of hills took some getting used to. I have never seen an alligator here, but did see a snake one time in Madison. (It was still mostly woods at that time.)

    Best of luck,
    Becky

  • none
    18 years ago

    just moved from the everglades in south fla. use to collect reptiles for aliving cant wait to look arould to see what huntsville got in store for me as a hobby.

  • mira_dunham
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    You guys have been so helpfull, and I regret to inform everyone that we won't be moving to your area. Hopefully someday we will but I sure don't want to live next door to some of you, especially none (shiver)
    Thank you for all the great information. I regret not getting to meet most of you :)

  • none
    18 years ago

    SORRY THAT YOU FEEL THAT WAY MIRA.A LOT OF POEPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY.BUT WE ALL NEED TO MASTER ARE FEARS REPTILES FECIES MAKES PLANTS VERY STRONGE DONT YOU THINK.I HAVE SEEN A LOT PLANT IN THE WILD SOME NOT RECORDED YET. THAT ONLY REPTILES AND BIRDS IS ONLY SOURCE OF FERL.

  • mira_dunham
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    None,
    don't take life so seriously.
    If we can't laugh at ourselves who can we laugh at?

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    Mira...I don't have an adorable hugging smiley to attach to my emails so this is the best I can do:

    ((((Mira))))

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    Mira, does this mean that you are going to England for a few years? That will be a treat! I have family over there now and relatives who are from there.

    My dearest nephew just flew back to the states for a quick trip and one of the things he always stocks up on are (get this) zip lock bags! I kid you not. Says they cannot be found over there. Or large rolls of heavy duty foil. Interesting, huh? If you rely on either of those, I guess you learn to do without or pack them in, like he does, lol. Have a great adventure over there! God speed.

  • none
    18 years ago

    Didn't know that this was A joking web site.ha.ha. here to help.1.the worlds larges cottonmouth is 8FT.and is wide as a growen man's upper leg large cottonmouth can't climb trees water snake n.p. can 2.soil around swamps and in. has great soil full of everthing plant's needs don't you think.lol.

  • none
    18 years ago

    SCANDIA cottenmouth has climb in boats because they swim with almost half there body up out of the water.they hate the water this is true and fact.the black racer in your backyard is n.p. but eat's other n.p.snakes and has been knowned to chase humans down and bite them n.p. when laying eggs.don't you know ask RHIZO has good knowledge. one other thing cottonmouth will slowly move away from you then if that does'nt work they will open there mouth and you will see why they are called cottenmouth and if that does'nt work then they will bite.one other. if you come close to there baby's. here to help.none.lol.

  • Butterflyer1966
    18 years ago

    Hi everybody,
    been following this posts and enjoy the way you are trying to help.. :)
    Since everyone has such good knowledge I bet you might be able to help me out..
    My kids and I are planning to relocate to the Ft Payne area within the next 6 monthes..We are tired of Florida and since I am originally from germany, I miss the 4 seasons anyways..
    So, does anyone know about that area??
    We love the country, I grew up in the country about 30 mins away from city and enjoyed my childhood there..
    I am not afraid of the WILDLIFE, since I have a Wildlife Habitat,a Butterfly-Garden and a Monarch-Waystation here..
    We have a few diff. kinds of snakes here in the garden and they take sunbathes next to me..They must know they are welcome here and do no harm to us..
    So, wildlife is welcome but one thing is kinda grossing me out:
    do you really have lots of ticks and lice there or are they only in the wooded parts like back home in Germany??
    I am looking forward and appreciate any help that will make our moving easier to up there..
    TIA
    Butterfly-Greetings
    Susanne(SUE)
    Oh, I believe you have lots of Butterflies there, or??? :)

  • none
    18 years ago

    I think the group alabama is from there. my frist spring in a long time.no butterflys yet.what part of fla.

  • Butterflyer1966
    18 years ago

    NOne,
    I am from Palm Bay which is about 45 mins south of Daytona..right next to Melbourne
    Greetings
    Susanne(SUE)
    Seeing lots of Butterflies here already..
    And we found a gorgeous Cornsnake in my garden 2 days ago..

  • irisaddict
    18 years ago

    Never read so much about snakes on a garden site but had to google for max on cotton-mouth and found this short and sweet site with pics and info http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/fl-guide/Venomsnk.htm

    Ticks:
    I have found that 9 out of 10 times (hopefully that is all there is during a summer) I find the little #*$@* before they latch on. That is another excuse for women just shaving above the knees, you have a better chance of feeling a tick crawling if they are bumping into hair. I am very blond so don't get a bad visual.

    Just to go to another tangent, since we are being so natural here, guinea fowl (chicken-like bird) have the best rep as tick eaters. I think they do it with less harm to your plants than chicks or ducks.

  • none
    18 years ago

    no butterflies yet here in huntsville but it's starten to warm up here.I miss collecting the pretty red corns or red ratsnakes in fla. haven't had a chance to look around here yet......... I posted a forum under wildlife on the garden. love to talk reptiles. none.

  • none
    18 years ago

    ALSO HAVE AOL JOURNAL. DALE FROM THE EVERGLADES.none

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