Hello stompoutbermuda, This is really quite a coincidence as I rarely visit the landscaping forum, but just happened upon it a couple of days ago. From what I can see of the mountain range in your pics, and I could be wrong, but it appears as though we are practically neighbors. :-) If so, I live in the neighboring town maybe 7 or so miles east of your location. I agree with the poster who said you've got a 'diamond in the rough' there. I'm in my 50's and have lived in this area for nearly 40 years, and have seen many a beautiful desert oasis built in the area where it appears you are. :-) Not being a fan of snakes either, lol, I feel safe to say that in the many years I've spent in the high desert, and many hikes out in the desert, I have seen rattlesnakes as many times, or less, than I can count on one hand. They are shy creatures, not aggressive, and while dangerous, they are an important part of the desert community. We would be overrun with rodents otherwise. And I also agree with the poster who said king snakes, roadrunners and hawks are natural predators who help to keep the rattlers at bay. I'm afraid it's a waste of money, effort and time to try to create a snake proof fence. Your best bet is to accept that they are a part of the community - walk with loud but cautionary steps around hiding areas where they may be, and carry a long stick with you if you need to poke around in an area which may be a hiding place for them. If I may offer a few suggestions, for what they are worth...? :-) Line your fence line with oleanders and cypress. Both are drought and wind resistant, are green all year round, and the oleanders offer beautiful and colorful blooms this time of year. Yes, oleanders are poisonous, but one would have to actually consume many leaves, or breathe the fumes of burning plants to be in danger. Many, many homeowners in this area have oleanders on their fence line for a windbreak, and I have yet to hear of anyone becoming sick as a result of them. I've raised two children here in the high desert and now have several grandchildren enjoying the slow pace and beautiful sunsets over the Sierras. :-) As far as gardening, there is no reason why you can't realize your dream of having a productive garden. I say this as I just went outside and picked several ripe and juicy tomatoes from my plants. I visit gardenweb often and lurk, but I believe this is my first post as it pertains to something I actually know a little something about. LOL. Enjoy your new home, you really do have a diamond in the rough. It sounds like you have some great ideas to create your little oasis. Please pardon me if I have sounded presumptuous. Sincerely, satura

Sorry to hear things went poorly for you denninmi. I've found your suggestions in the past very helpful especially since you garden not all that far away. Things have been slow over on the SW side of the state because of the cooler weather, also, but critters have been less than last year....that was a huge problem then. Trapping and a neighbor who is a good shot helped alot with that. Unfortuantely, a new critter(s?) is causing some trouble....13 lined ground squirrels aka gophers. Guess it is time to trap some more which I don't enjoy. We had only six corn plants grow in 8 rows planted by 50 students....and I know they planted more seed than recommended. The gophers or something else tunneled through the area and ate/took most every one. A replant germinated successfully but the plants are still small. The cool July did not help at all. Not sure if there will be a corn harvest or not. I garden at two sites about 15 miles apart. The rain certainly has been splotchy over this way, too. I'll work at one garden in the sun and dry sand and come home to find that a major storm hit at my home...with clay loam...just the reverse of what I'd order. My gardens are much smaller than yours and can be easily watered if need be. And the past few weeks they definitely needed it. Hard to imagine how dry they would have been if the weather had been warmer. I'm looking to put in some fall crops this week. It doesn't seem like it is time for that since the hot days of summer did not come yet. But I'm ready to try another round of peas, cabbage, and broccoli to go with the beets, carrots and onions put in today. If it finally warms up I may have to rig up shade cloths. On a positive note, one garden has awesome zinnias and marigolds. Today I saw three hummingbirds darting around from one zinnia patch to another. Very fun....much better than looking at the scrawny corn and green tomatoes on plants with dead lower leaves.

Boiling on the stove- Im sure this works but come on - if your at that stage its time to invest in a good FL with a heater in it. Your spending your way to it anyway in clothing wear and tear. gunk, funk, manure, you name it a good detergent and a sustained tumble in 120-140 will stop that problem. Deoderant/anti persperant does make a marked difference in how aggressive I need to be to keep the funk away. I settled on 2 and I switch - Jack black, and clarins with the clarins D-O seemingly the most chemically superior, but not much scent. every 4-6 weeks I do an 8 hour soak in warm of oxy and do a double rinse and I have dress white shirts that I bought in 06 that are indistiguishable from the ones acquire in 09. The taylor marks my shirts year of assembly with a tag- I actually have to check. I dirt bike ride, boat, and 4x4 all the time sweat like a hog and get really dirty. The equipment & detergent is really the secret. Dave

Oh, how I wanted my natural bluestone patio...well, it now looks anything but "natural." It's a hot mess! Original landscaper installed and used polymeric sand because that was "best." He recommended not sealing it. Or, as he said, "Let it sit a year and then seal it if you want to." Very shortly after installation, stones started turning orange or had deep orange/rusty spots developing like a rash. The polymeric sand grout started popping up like worms after a rainstorm by year two. Hired a new hardscaping/landscaping company who--at year three of the patio--power washed it, swapped a few stones and tried to remove some stains, installed a new type of polymeric sand (which is supposedly better for the larger gaps the earlier landscaper used), and sealed it. First, the power washing did leave what looked like swirls of gray "graffiti" on some areas, but that seemed to go away with sealing. Until it rained, I wasn't sure they had yet sealed it, but it was evident when water beaded up and remained on the surface. After it dried, white patches appeared all over the stones. Reading how this can also occur with sealing concrete pavers, I'm now wondering if that composite deck idea was better! All I wanted was a beautiful, natural bluestone patio. I've stepped on countless university and college walkways that do not have these issues, and that is the look I was going for. How do they achieve such beautiful patios and walkways without the issues we homeowners face? I know they don't use polymeric sand and their "deep pockets" must be able to afford the best stone and best installers.