How to create a barrel pond for wildlife | WWT

[@takamatsuiki]

Two ideas about mosquitoes (for USA folks): 1) get a solar-powered water pump to create movement in the water (you could even fashion it as a tiny waterfall over the rocks) and this should generally prohibit the mosquitoes from being able to lay eggs. This will alter the ecosystem of the pond, so you'll have a different kind of habitat and different creatures drawn to it than if it were still water. 2) I have heard that some people keep small fish in such ponds, and I suppose if you have both fish and amphibians coming around, it should pretty much control the mosquito population. Maybe someone here knows what kinds of fish would be appropriate for a tiny pond? I don't know. However you do it, look to what nature does itself in ponds or streams, and think about your pond as a mini ecosystem that should self-manage as nature does. Now, the only issue with all of this of course, is that some municipalities in the USA make it illegal both to keep standing water or to collect rain water. Those laws need to be updated!

[@norinickrrostron9001]

Illegal to collect rainwater...what’s the reasoning behind that..? Is it purely to stop people from utilizing something that’s free..?

[@EH-vzzy]

Thanks for the advice! Nice to hear other ideas! Such a shame about the silly laws around rain water collection

[@DaWaffleDog]

Rice fish

[@chrisrusso4512]

If legal, trap some small fish from a local pond

[@kmsch986]

@@norinickrrostron9001 water rights in some areas are managed closely because surface water used for irrigation. For example, I had a farm with irrigation rights I paid 20,000 dollars for and the water came on to my property through a ditch and drained into a retention pond we then pumped out of. My new neighbor didn’t understand the law, dug a trench and dam diverting it on to his property and I had to explain he couldn’t do that. The water collected into the main reservoir farmers use comes from rain water so some states have limits on the amount of rain water private owners can collect on their property, in Colorado I think it is 110 gallon for most households, unless you own a separate water right (almost like a mineral right) . We had people trying to buy ours or lease ours all the time.

[@evecampbell7744]

Thank you! I’m going to do this for the wildlife. I love to hear the frogs and toads in the summer!

[@marc-anthonydebattista5087]

How many raccoons have you seen in a British garden?

[@Me-ei8yd]

TIP: Place this is a shady or paritally shady location if you are in zone 7 or more. It'll become a bathtub in the summer if not (cooking all occupants)

[@theropesofrenovation9352]

So true in 9B

[@kazihabiurrahman3543]

im in the uk i wanted to put it on my roofed deck which recieves 6 hours sunshine is this a good idea or not? obv as it is under a roof it wont get rainwater

[@moodygirl609]

Thanks for all this good information. I'm going to attempt to do something like this with my clawfoot bathtub that I've put against the house between two fig trees. Wish me luck.

[@wwtorguk]

Let us know how it goes!

[@lizzyanthus1]

You're so lucky to have a claw foot bathtub! I would absolutely love to come across one some day! Hope your pond in it turns out awesome! And thank you for reminding me to keep a look out for one! 😁

[@GardeningandMyDailyLife]

Khu vườn của bạn thật nhiều bóng mát 👍👍👍.

[@scantrahan]

Fantastic and inspiring video; I'm putting a barrel pond on my balcony for all the birds and bees that enjoy the flowers in our apartment garden

[@rebeccahenderson7761]

Excellent vid to encourage people to help wildlife in any way that can! It's up to each and everyone of us to do all we can.

[@fabled-pilgrim]

Beautiful project, very concise, all in under 10 minutes ... the perfect video for beginners like myself. 😊

[@rollandjoeseph]

Yea, no..many trips for the supplies and time for placement of the items..a few day project at least

[@chelmsford6774]

Simply lovely!

[@velvetindigonight]

Fabulous and inspiring... Thank you

[@irvingg71]

Pretty cool. I’ve been looking for a small project like this to do with my mom. Thanks!

[@margaretpearson7493]

Thank you that’s the best advice ever on a wildlife pond

[@WildWoodlandsSW]

Makes a great little pond. I've already got a couple of ponds,but this will be great for a smaller 'satellite' pond closeby,for viewing. Thankyou,look forward to more.

[@kamalani808]

We are prone to mosquitoes here in Hawai’i. I’d need to move the water and have guppies to eat the larvae.

[@mcherry9831]

Just use mosquito dunks

[@davidphilion1432]

Thanks for the great video I'm going to copy the idea.

[@interestingtidbits2435]

Excellent ideas. I didn't really want to be digging, etc. Thank you!

[@georgeobrientheroninrealto2693]

You are a Real natural at making these videos...great job,

[@lizzyanthus1]

I love your little wildlife pond! And what a gorgeous and serene setting you have found to place it in. I've subscribed. 😁 Thank you so much for this one!

[@wwtorguk]

Thank you and thank you for subscribing!

[@JamesRattray]

Just what I was looking for as we embark on wilding our garden for nature. We need to put water in to the garden for wildlife, this will be our first water, later we plan to create a larger water area or mini wetland, may be later this year by the time we get to create it. My only comment on your excellent video is, would it also be an idea for a ramp from the pond water to the edge. Water levels can drop and possibly wildlife can be trapped, unable to haul themselves out. Having said that they might be able to do this from the plants in the tub. I know you will do a daily check of water levels, I am not sure if I would trust myself to be so diligent. Thank you for an excellent video, keep them coming.

[@wwtorguk]

Hi James, thanks for the positive review! If you check back to our final shot of the barrel pond from 07:40, we placed a rock that leans on the back edge of the barrel to allow wildlife to exit. Let us know on our socials how you get on with creating yours - we'd love to see it.

[@DJ_Dutchess]

Lovey video! Thank you for the tips ! 🐸💧🪴

[@exploreSwedenswestcoast]

👍💯 Hello, my friend. this is really interesting! I fully concentrated on watching! big like Thank you for sharing. 👍👍

[@bushcat274]

Perfect and succinct. Very calm and well delivered. Cheers!

[@mfernandinigaffney]

Thank you for sharing how to make a wildlife container pond. It was very useful to me. Marisol, Greetings from Hamilton, Virginia, USA.

[@sikosis999]

the addition of water movement in the form of a 'waterfall' or sprinkler even a small aquarium bubbler set up along with a dedicated biomass filter will make that attract the kind of animals you want versus pest :)

[@KristinaKunz-v1p]

Thank you so much for sharing this, it's beautiful

[@Jon.Alexander]

Great looking barrel - thanks for the video!

[@RavinderApril]

Beautiful mini pond..

[@sherynmarsden9917]

Thank you so very much for sharing this, I am very inspired to make a habitat pond ❤

[@missdimples1982]

I love this, great if you have a small space

[@Eindkaas]

Great video and very well presented. I even think this is the best one out there, for starting a mini pond without filter and fish. I am going to make a 75L pond that sits between the patio and veggie garden. I'm going to use a couple of edible plants as well like watercress and -mint. If all goes well maybe I'll even try to add Japanese rice fish next spring. Anyways, thanks a bunch!

[@wwtorguk]

That sounds great, please do let us know how you get on!

[@patricialefebvre7694]

Magnifique👍💖 vous avez beaucoup de talent Monsieur

[@peaseblossom4252]

Beautiful! I really want to do this, but worry about all the neighborhood cats using it as an easy place to ambush prey, especially birds visiting. 😢. And also not sure what to do with it during winter (Northern Utah so it would freeze solid I’m guessing, and kill larvae/eggs of the insects I’m hoping to provide habitat for). I’ll keep researching.

[@veryimportantperson3657]

lovely, informative tutorial. thank you.

[@gaiazacchi6896]

finalmente un video che spiega veramente come fare un mini stagno ! grazie !!!!

[@wwtorguk]

No problem!

[@frankiecooke501]

What a great video, thank you. I really want to do this in our garden in the Sw of England. Please could you privide some advice on the type of barrel? There seems to be so many and I worry about previous uses and if I need a liner. I'm on quite a budget though.

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, thanks for your question. Any barrel that hasn't been used to hold harmful chemicals will be OK. Old alcohol barrel is ideal but you can purchase others. We were lucky to find a good barrel which held water straight away. If using a barrel where the wood has been allowed to dry out and shrink you can try soaking it and it may swell back and seal. If not then you can always use a rubber or plastic liner stapled to the inside - fill with water before cutting off the excess liner to let it conform to the shape of the barrel. Good luck!

[@kerrykirk2515]

Came here for the liner question, I have a barrel my partner bought me before he passed, it's been almost 10yr and well IV done some sketching of what I see in my minds eye, wrote a checklist and hoping that it swells, IV got a solar powered fountain for the birds to play in so we may be well to get one for the barrel too, have rocks for stepping stones, even a bucket to pop within, but on it's side so theres somewhere to hide, however, I dont fancy the plastic liner at all. After years of imagining the outcome I think maybe it is time to create this haven we both wanted for his birthday in August, (anniversary is too late in the year).

[@henrypeacock4039]

Thinking of something for my nature loving girlfriend's birthday. Perfect idea! Thanks for the advice. Great video

[@wwtorguk]

Thanks for watching! Let us know how you get on.

[@TheCornishCottageGarden-bs5lf]

Gonna get on this tomorrow!

[@satyanarayanaization]

Very nicely done and the commentary is great Superb

[@sarahgilligan811]

Wow this is such a helpful video, I can’t wait to start building my own pond!

[@runefagereng6023]

Brilliant and inspiring! Thanks.

[@dunbardunelm3924]

Gorgeous garden and now, with a beautiful new feature 🤩🥰✨🥹

[@xjAlbert]

Gorgeous and wonderful in every way!

[@philmccavity]

I learned a ton here, thank you so much

[@hollybritton7255]

Love it!!! I imagine that the water shouldnt be too cold.

[@tobywiddop4817]

Thats my next garden project. Thanks.

[@gilliancruise-johnston947]

What a wonderful resource! I am in the process of creating a wildlife pond and found this really helpful. It would be great to have the names of the plants you used. 😊

[@wwtorguk]

Glad it was helpful! Take a look at the video description for the plant names. Do let us know how you get on with your wildlife pond build.

[@amandaglennie3486]

Lovely video😊

[@robturvey9156]

Excellent and no annoying “background” muzak.

[@atticbrowser9698]

Very helpful thanks

[@jranger63]

Great little video full of all info you need wildlife ponds for dummies 😊

[@corinneaggar9755]

Great information about soil, plants and especially for creatures getting in and out safely, have you got any ideas on what small fish can be kept in the barrel pond ? please, I have some shrimps and snails living in there and would like to see something swimming about if possible

[@thelittlethingsinlife239]

Great looking barrel 👌

[@martasarber7133]

Oh, I love this. Can you put little fish in there? Thank you for showing us how to make it.

[@TH-eb5ro]

I have a small pond, maybe 20 gallons as part of my NWF backyard wildlife habitat certification in MI and a much larger one on a city patio in TN. Both are self-sufficient ecosystems. The one in MI gets fouled more because of critters stopping by. Both locations 'mosquito minnows' (gambusa minnows) are free from the county health department vector control (similar/different name based on location). Should the fish not survive a freeze I use mosquito dunks, 1/4 dunk for the larger pond until I can restock the fish. My Water Lilly is in a round bin from Dollar Tree and clay kitty litter. Duck weed is a good surface plant. See if you can attract dragon flies. I think it would do better in that long basket as it has nearly crossed the round container. Most places that do not allow rainwater collection is due to people allowing it to be sitting water or drinking. I'd call and ask for an exception to save to build a pond. I've done similar for a pond and in using my washer water for lawn care. I included my intentions and explanation, equipment, laundry cleaners in my request. The reason such things are not allowed is because humans were not responsible. If algae is a problem, the slimy type, use small barley bales off Amazon. In the large pond one lasts 6 months. My next goal is to get more native plants.

[@wonderingstarz]

Thank you for posting this! Hugz

[@Gelp]

A wonderful and informative video, thank you! ❤ I've heard elsewhere you should have a ramp for wildlife to be able to get out from inside. You have an external ramp, and mentioned you thought the water level might go down a few inches, which surely would leave things trapped inside? Hopefully I've just misunderstood.

[@wwtorguk]

Hi, thanks for watching and raising this important point; we do have the large rocks both in the centre and back-edge of the barrel that touch the edge, and that edge itself is carved to be at the waterline height.

[@simonrose1598]

True - an empty container with smooth vertical sides is not great for amphibians or any small creature that falls in - we put plenty of rocks and things in ours so it shouldn't be a problem.

[@purplepumpkinMD]

Love your video. What would be the procedures in getting the barrel pond ready for winter? Thank you.

[@wwtorguk]

Thank you! Winter prep is as simple as cutting back and removing any dead plant material and leaves. Plants will then lie dormant and no excess nutrients will build up from decomposition. Which hopefully means clear water come the spring!

[@kathydoyle1857]

Really enjoyed this video. Always wanted a little pond. I do have a question........ I know its an old barrel.... but it is old and you haven't used a pond liner for it. Why is that? Thanks

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, great to hear you enjoyed our video. Many older barrels, especially those originally used for alcohol storage, are well-sealed. Most will likely leak a little, but topping up with rainwater sorts that.

[@B30pt87]

Lovely!

[@DeiseRebel]

Thank you, saved me digging, I have a ceramic pot and was thinking of digging a hole to fit it but this has given me the idea of where to put it and have it free standing, good idea with the logs for entry and exit to the pond. I have play sand lying around doing nothing so this will be used and the rocks out of the water a little is an idea I have seen and it's great. Anyone with a fish tank I think this water would be good to use plus I have Duckweed in my fish tank I'm going to try use this also. Subscribed :-)

[@wwtorguk]

Great to hear you have been inspired! Let us know how it goes.

[@DeiseRebel]

@@wwtorguk Sure will 🙂

[@DeiseRebel]

@@wwtorguk Pond went well enough I think 🤔 Water is a bit cloudy but looks good, put stones and logs on with play sand substrate and white marble stones with some branches and a wood 🪵 ramp, I’ll get pond plants soon also. Let the fun begin :-)

[@sweetpeanmolly]

We have an established bathtub collecting rainwater. I’m wondering if I can incorporate the baskets of plants into it without the muddy results? Also thank you for this beautiful video! What a kind and gentle soul you are 🙏🙏🙏

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, you might get a little mud, but hopefully a whole lot more wildlife! You might be interested in our drainpipe wetland build kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqvYeGODhdtsj6s

[@christinatso3783]

Well done, Mr.

[@artkryss496]

thanks! it was very inspiring

[@darkshireaquatics]

awesome video✌✌

[@user-bu9nb8wr6e]

I really enjoyed that, thank you.

[@PanarchyInTheUK]

Inspirational! I live in southern Spain, about 650 metres above sea level in a small village. Very hot dry summers, but enough rain through Feb-April to keep the countryside fairly green for most of the year. Rarely if ever drops below freezing in winter. I'd love to install something like this in my small garden, and I'm wondering about the partial sun recommendation, because here of course the sun can really heat up water. My garden is south and west facing, so it can be a challenge to find cool, shady spots. If anyone has any experience of making a barrel pond in a hot zone I'd love to hear your thoughts! TIA.

[@HarryisI]

That spot looked so idyllic I'm surprised it didn't have a pond already! I'm turning a Belfast sink into a mini pond, and was wondering if there's a better period for it to receive the most sun? I'm south facing and was going to put it against one wall or the other to get more sun early or late

[@wwtorguk]

That sounds like a lovely mini-pond! The early sun spot might be better so as on very warm summer days, the sink won't get the full force of the afternoon sun. Let us know how you get on!

[@christinehughes9267]

Hi! What a beautiful wee wildlife pond! I notice that you didn't use a pond liner? Are they necessary in a wine barrel...seems counter intuitive as they are designed to hold precious liquids!

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, thanks for your question - we were lucky enough to find a good barrel which held water right away (6 months on and it's still full!). If using a barrel where the wood has been allowed to dry out and shrink, it might be less watertight; you can try soaking it and it may swell back and seal. If not then you can always use a rubber or plastic liner stapled to the inside - fill with water before cutting off the excess liner to let it conform to the shape of the barrel. Good luck!

[@christinehughes9267]

Thanks for replying! I did infact have a different problem- the water became very smelly after just a week. Not sure if I should empty it all out and start again? I am in NZ and it's a hot summer and we have water restrictions at the moment too. Maybe I need to wait until Spring?

[@RitaReiss13]

I really like your channel. I came across it by accident and instantly subscribed. :D Too bad I don't have a garden. :( But maybe you have some tips on how to create best bird feeders on a balcony? I live in a city center but there are lots of birds. I would also like them to have water to drink, especially in the summer, but I'm afraid of mosquitoes colonizing my balcony. :D

[@wwtorguk]

Hey, thank you for subscribing. Completely understand not wanting to encourage mosquitoes, here in the UK they are less of an issue so barrel ponds such as this work a treat. If you want to add some water to your balcony though shallow dishes regularly topped up with water and cleaned, will be well used by the birds once they get used to it.

[@greeneileen]

Lovely! Thank you :)

[@kellimitch2011]

Love the idea and love the Opinel

[@ExtravagantLee]

Would you recommend a wee water fountain? I was thinking of getting one of those solar powered ones. Just a small thing so I can enjoy the sound of trickling water in my garden too.

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, one of the tiny ones in this barrel would be fine - so long as the pump isn't strong enough to trap much invertebrate life. It would also benefit the aeration of the water. Let us know how it goes!

[@suttonsplash14]

Pond update please!

[@conniewojahn6445]

Nice. Thank you.

[@DogaAnsiklopedisi]

awesome job, thanks

[@mgran358]

Beautiful

[@lizzypitts7797]

Fantastic video, really helpful

[@Melanie-s9d]

Hi, this looks great, thank you so much. Just a quick question (I live in the SE of England), what happens with the pond in winter time? Also, is there a 'best time' to add something like this to your garden? Would September be ok? Thanks again.

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there glad you like the video and thanks for the questions, in the autumn/early winter you can trim the plants back and let the water freeze over - things should then start growing back in the spring and with any winter rainfall your pond should keep topped-up. September would be a good time to build as you might find that garden centres have discount, end of season plants on offer. Just you'll have to wait until next summer for them to flower but they will have plenty of time to settle in. Let us know how it goes!

[@elizabethharvester6111]

This is just LOVELY!

[@esthersanchez2264]

Wondering how often this size pond needs cleaning. Wound love to see how you go about doing that cleaning. ❤

[@wwtorguk]

Great idea, we'll try to do a video on that some time

[@2busytv166]

what about rain and overflow? in uk rains like crazy

[@dbatesdob]

It will run down the sides ... not a prob

[@catherinemurphy873]

Lovely job 💯. Thanks 👍

[@MiniPond]

This is so beatiful, but and the filter? Dont wil have?

[@wwtorguk]

No filter needed here, the natural plant system uses up any excess nutrients in the water and keeps it clear!

[@Avectwigg]

Thank you! - very relaxing to watch

[@lindastclaire6667]

How fun! Thank you for this.

[@deirdredear]

I loved this video thank you

[@627hjc]

hard to find those barrel halves in NZ for anything below $100, even with the huge wine industry here!

[@terryf8078]

I did something similar last year, but had one or two issues, the main one being blanket weed. I have a powder solution to get rid of it, but just keeps coming back, swamping all the other plants and just looks a mess. I've even removed everything and started again, but same issue. Other problems - winds knocking high plants over (solved with bamboo canes holding pots in place), the metal rings outside have just corroded off, no idea how long it'll last), something eating the lily leaves, and pigeons eating any flower heads. These ponds are definitely not plug and play, they need a lot of maintenance unless I'm doing something wrong..?

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, it sounds like you are doing everything right, any garden pond will need some maintenance. To tackle the blanket weed, try moving the pond to a shadier spot than it is currently in, and ensure no other excess nutrients are being left in, such as dead/rotting plant matter.

[@paulharvey2396]

thank you for this beautifully photographed and spoken video -- strange how I felt this was a holy information - it must be that the wetland core idea and reality goes back to the very dawn of creation, life began -- I wish we could build up a strong green movement worldwide to protect the whole planet more effectively thank you thank you

[@deborahminter6231]

Beautiful!

[@debradevine3949]

Amazing! ❤️🤩🤩

[@TroySwezey]

Looks great. Three questions: 1) Was the barrel waterproof or sealed when you go it? If no, what do you recommend to accomplish that? 2) What about mosquitoes in the standing water? 3) I live in the Pacific Northwest of USA where we get about 44 inches of snow and the freezing that goes along with that. Any suggestions? Just let the water freeze? What about the plants?

[@simonrose1598]

I was lucky to find a good barrel which held water straight away. If using a barrel where the wood has been allowed to dry out and shrink you can try soaking it and it may swell back and seal. If not then you can always use a rubber or plastic liner stapled to the inside - fill with water before cutting off the excess liner to let it conform to the shape of the barrel. Good luck!

[@wwtorguk]

Regarding the mosquitoes, we do get a lot of similar comments from viewers in USA; they aren’t such an issue in the UK but we know that small insects are essential to the food chain and provide food for a multitude of larger insects, fish and birds. So if you can cope with them, the wider wildlife will benefit! Tough one on the cold weather - perhaps try stocking with native plants that are used to surviving in those extremes? Thanks for watching.

[@TroySwezey]

@@simonrose1598 Wow. Cool tip. Thank you. I think there is some spray at the hardware store to seal small cracks or gaps but the liner may be the better way to go.

[@takamatsuiki]

​@@wwtorguk curious ... would a solar powered water pump be appropriate? It would help the folks dealing with mosquitoes.

[@DaWaffleDog]

@@takamatsuikiye

[@mihaimimi3965]

This is so wonderful! I was wondering what can you do to protect it over winter, I sometimes get -15 celsius in winter time so that means I need to save the plants and plant them in an aquarium inside and rearrange the barrel next spring right? Temperate climate can be annoying :(

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, we're glad you like the video! Native plants should be OK - simply cut them back in autumn, remove excess leaf litter from the water to stop toxins building up and they should return again in spring. Many plants need that cold weather to take a break - they'll come back stronger. Taking them inside will confuse this cycle.

[@mihaimimi3965]

@@wwtorguk I always forget native plants are perfect for this and need that cycle. Thank you so much once again I will most probably do it next year as I live in an area with very little to no rain over summer and this would help the environment

[@herbypumpkin1256]

Where do you get the plants from ? An ordinary Garden Centre ? Do you have to change the water if it gets polluted with leaves ?

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, yes any Garden Centre with an aquatics section should stock these plants and they should be labelled as native species. Any dead plant matter should be taken out, especially from fallen autumn leaves, as they will add excess nutrients, but if this is done fairly regularly there should be no need to change the water. Thanks for watching!

[@simonrose1598]

Plants came from a nearby garden centre that stocks a good range of aquatic plants - do a search to find suppliers near you.

[@Eng.Civil.Mohammad]

Awesome 😎

[@lani_lucia]

that is so nice

[@peterkratoska4524]

How do you deal with mosquito larvae?

[@JesperAndersen]

Really nice project - what do you do in winter? Can the aquatic plants survive? What do you do about leaves and other materials getting blown into the pond by the wind? Do you skim the surface with a small net or anything? 🙂

[@wwtorguk]

Hi there, glad you enjoyed watching! In the autumn, we cut back the plants and remove any blown leaves. This stops excess nutrients from building up in the pond, aside from that it is maintenance-free.

[@Dandelion49]

Thank you for sharing. In our area we have mosquitos and standing water allows them to lay eggs and produce even more mosquitos. Do you have that problem and if so how do you solve it? I had a large ponds years ago and have gold fish and other fish which seemed to keep the mosquitos down. Not sure it you could put fish in these small containers.?

[@markmak7548]

Was recently given a pond barrel . This video is just what i was looking for . Thank you . 👍 Can i paint the outside of my barrel ? . 🤔

[@wwtorguk]

That's great news! Yes painting just the very outside wood should be OK.

[@markmak7548]

@@wwtorguk Brilliant thank you for your help/advice . I have learnt a lot from your video and now feel confident to go ahead and make up my pond , now that I know what to do . 👍🌻🌿🐸🐠🐝🦋👍