Snakes need cover for protection. Don’t leave wood or brush piles sit in one spot for more than a month.

Keep leaves and other debris picked up.

Don't keep piles of rocks.

Stack firewood on a rack 12" off ground.

Remove old lumber or junk piles.

Remove their source of food. Keep insect and rodent population under control.

Place garbage bags in sealed trash cans away from house.

Repair cracks along foundation and fill holes around pipes. Snakes only need about a ¼ inch crack to get inside.

Sprinkle moth balls around perimeter of your yard or garden. But beware that these can be dangerous to pets and children.

Sulfur from a garden center is said to keep snakes away.

Don't plant bushes and other plants too close to foundation of house.

Use mulch in garden beds but not too thickly.

Trim lowest limbs on shrubs and bushes so they are at least 12 inches from ground.

Construct a fence around your garden with heavy galvanized screening. Make it three feet wide with quarter-inch mesh. Be sure to bury bottom of it six inches below soil surface.

For more help on controlling snakes:

http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/snakecontrol.htm

The best time to repot your plants is right before they emerge from dormancy, which would be March through April. You can also repot your plants at other times of year as long as you minimize disturbance to their roots.

As for soil, use a standard mix of 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. The peat moss retains moisture and adds acidity, while perlite provides aeration and drainage.

Because carnivorous plants grow in nutrient-poor soil, avoid using regular potting soil, fertilizer and compost. These items are toxic to carnivorous plants and will burn their roots. Very painful.

As you repot your plants, clip off any dried leaves from previous year. I generally clip off all leaves that have brown spots on them. Sometimes this means clipping off all leaves on plant, which is often case with taller Sarracenia species.

With Yellow Trumpet and Green Pitcher Plants, clip off their non-carnivorous winter leaves after new growth has been established.

So, set aside some time in March and April to repot your carnivorous plants. You will be greatly rewarded with vigorously growing plants this summer.

If you need growing instructions for specific species, such as Venus Flytraps, visit Sarracenia Northwest at http://www.cobraplant.com.