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Ideas? anyone?

Hi all, This site is so much fun, I am recently new to "gardenersindex.com" its fantastic. I enjoy looking at all the beautiful photos that everyone is willing to share. I'm sure as the Spring ends and Summer begins there will be even more and looking forward to see all the new photos. I can't wait to share all of my new plantings and ready for some great tips from all the senior gardeners out there.

I have discovered a remedy for getting rid of flies, exspecially those around the back door and on the patio. Just about all of my planters have Sweet Basil in them. The flies do not like the smell so lucky for me I don't mind the smell and the plus is the flies stir clear of the area. So, for those who didn't know, there's my little bit of gardening information.

Now, I'm just trying to figure out how to keep the ticks away! Any ideas are welcome. I live on 20 acres and 15 acres of it is all woods. I also have about an acre size pond, some call it a small lake. We're having a problem with the "lake", a lot of moss, and another seeding looking scum floating. If anyone has any ideas on how to fix these problems, please feel free to send any comments you have my way.

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Comment by Joanne Davis~~top of Z6/IL on May 30, 2009 at 8:07pm: I'll try the sweet basil tip. thanks!

Comment by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on May 26, 2009 at 7:42pm: Oh, the pond. Look at my blog on horticultural cornmeal. It's on my page if you click on tigger or you can click this:

http://gardenersindex.ning.com/profiles/blogs/horticultural-cornmealthe

If you decide to add fish, carefully research for one that will help you with these problems and is native to your area. Your state fish and wildlife department can give you good tips.

Comment by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on May 26, 2009 at 7:38pm: Guinea hens love to eat ticks, but just about any chicken will do the same. Let them roam and provide safe nesting boxes and feed them sparingly and they'll stay near.

Keep brush and grasses cut low near the house as adult ticks live on the upper branches of bushes and grasses waiting for warm blooded mammals to walk by.

Keep your dogs tick free with products like Sentinel. (Also good to keep fleas, and mosquitoes away from them and it fights heartworm).

Believe it or not ticks and fleas are the one thing that is good about fire ants--they perform search and destroy missions to rid a wide area around their nests of ticks and fleas.

Dust with diatomaceous earth (natural not pool kind) during dry weather. Spray with plant oil products such as No See Um.

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/organic-mosquito-repellent.html

Establishing a healthy colony of beneficial nematodes will get them under control in short order too.

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/beneficial-nematodes.html

Mulch with shredded cedar and spray cedar oil on it to freshen it periodically will also help deter ticks.