I ran into a hitch when I attempted to plant the cabbage babies (this was 2 weeks ago). I had planned to plant them inside my blueberry garden for their safety (an aside — several of my blueberry plants had died over the last year, so I had suitable space, and good soil). The blueberry garden is enclosed in a fence of chicken wire, and covered entirely by bird netting (too many birds, and I’m not good at sharing.)

The blueberry garden:

I gathered up the babies and my gardening tools and trooped out to the enclosure, only to find (to my dismay, and horror), a 6-foot-long snake stretched across the entire entrance, entangled in the netting, and preventing me from entering. I assumed it was dead, but I didn’t want to get close enough to find out.

What to do? Wimp that I am, of course I called for help. Paul came out and proceeded to a) determine that the snake was still alive, although the plastic netting was wrapped around its head, and also wrapped tightly around its body; and b) release it by cutting the netting with a scissors.

The snake:

Paul then spent another hour cutting all the netting off the snake’s head and body, and finally returned it to the marsh, from, we assume, whence it came.

Inspection and diagnosis:

Snake surgery:

Whew. Finally, I was able to get into the garden and situate the cabbages:

All planted:

Good luck, little guys — you’re on your own now.

Love,
EB