Wildlife pond

[olivethegreat]

I made a wildlife pond in a half barrel about 2 months ago. It has plants plus I dropped in some oxygenators. Have struggled to get a miniature water lily but got a tiny frogbit on ebay and put that in.

So far it has over a million mosquito larvae babies and Various other microscopic type creatures. It smells very pondy not in a nice way.

I'm getting a bit dispirited . I've got some watercress coming in my veg box, shall I drop some jn?

Also have logs stacked up the side but still seems a little steep for frogs so may rework that . Inside is a big stick and the plants are on bricks. I might add another brick vertically for access

I have a solar fountain but I think it's no longer working - blocked by larvae no doubt!

I'd like it to stop smelling and I'd like the mosquito larvae to be eaten! Can anyone help?!

Yes it's hot where it is. I don't have any plants to shade it though. I'll leave it a bit then! Thank you @parietal

Plan b is for next spring if the pond looks a goner to get a preformed small pond and put it near the wildflower meadow in a less sunny area. Then let it fill with rain. And just use the barrel as a planter .

What is the barrel lined with? Is it just wood?

Barrel is water tight and is just wood. It was a wine barrel. I suspect maybe it needs longer to balance because of chemicals from the wine. I did ask a gardening bod online who had built one like this and he said it would be fine , the alcohol would dissipate quickly.

Had 4 teenagers shrieking about the smell at the weekend and the mozzies which was a bit dispiriting .... if I dug in a preformed pond it would be in a less central part of the garden where the wildflower meadow and mini veg plot is. Maybe the frogs could then eat all the veg munching slugs. Not that keen at all on emptying the barrel out though!

The water is clear but has a bit of a film. White residue on the sides as well which I think is chemical either from barrel or tap water. It definitely is smelling less today though. I had to virtually stick my head in to get the whiff. Perhaps I should be more patient ...

This is the worst possible time of year for a new pond. As soon as it cools down a bit the smell will go, and by next year I bet it will be clean.

I was a bit worried about mine (planted up in May) but it's clear at the moment. It's too warm, though, so not much good for wildlife. It will be more shaded next year, and I have some plants doing really well. The water mint has been a great success and I suspect I'll be pulling chunks out soon. I didn't get a water lily this year; I'm using a solar pump which does seem to help keep it clear and will put in a water lily early next year I think.

I would consider lining it with pond liner in that case. The wood may well rot, especially if it is an old barrel, this could be causing the smell?
It is so brilliant what you are doing for wildlife op, I hope it works out. Ponds do take a couple of years to establish properly.

I think a pond next to your veg patch sounds fab!

@olivethegreat

Yes it's hot where it is. I don't have any plants to shade it though. I'll leave it a bit then! Thank you *@parietal*

Plan b is for next spring if the pond looks a goner to get a preformed small pond and put it near the wildflower meadow in a less sunny area. Then let it fill with rain. And just use the barrel as a planter .

What about an umbrella ?

My barrel ponds (black plastic 'cauldron' things) could definitely use some shade. The water at the top gets quite hot, and the small rams horn snails in one of them disappear, presumably the bottom is cooler. It does get algal growth which needs regularly removing, but it doesn't smell and the plants are generally healthy. They're too small for barley straw, I think, but Lavender stalks might be worth trying - I'd never heard of that idea.

Apart from the rams horns and a few random mini beasts, they're never likely to be 'wildlife ponds' except birds like bathing in them, and they and the dog drink from them.

Thank you I'm going to see how it goes then. The plants are definitely dying but I've probably overstocked it so I hope there will be enough left .

I'll try an umbrella tomorrow !@MereDintofPandiculation

At least it is fairly clear.

I'm going to mull over creating a ground level pond near the veg/wildflower area but not sure how much space I really have . As it is the wildflower patch is so close to the veg I return inside every day with grasshoppers (or something like that!) attached to me!!

Probably not grasshoppers, whose first inclination is to leap. Possible shield bugs, who are fairly sedentary, and look like little brown or green shields. Or froghoppers, which is what is inside cuckoo spit.

Yes green shield definitely!! One leaped when it almost went in the oven off me but apart from that they've been fairly docile and stationary .