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Make sure that there is a "ladder" out of the pond so if a small critter falls in they can escape. Fishing dead mice out of the swimming pool was always gross.
Yes, I had a visiting bird that drowned in one pond sometime in the first days. I placed large-ish rocks that offer a platform at a height to get toes wet (bird toes, not people toes), and ensure a non-aquatic creature can escape. I'm thinking of buying a few driftwood pieces to include next spring and summer.
What did you do about mosquitoes? Or did they just not attract them? I've got some similar tubs that i've contemplated doing this with but any standing water in my yard turns into a mosquito making machine as soon as i look away.
Not OP, but I have a large birdbath bowl on the ground in my pollinator garden. A 20$ solar powered fountain works wonderfully. Have had it for more than a year and it’s still going. It has various settings, mine just burbles a little. I have seeen bees and dragonflies drink from it. No mosquitoes larvae!
In this first year I didn't have a mitigation strategy. I did observe mosquito larvae in the water sometimes. I know it was used by mosquitos to lay eggs. I began to learn and consider options, but did not close the loop and decide on a mitigation strategy. It was a short period between completion to cooler fall weather, so I kind of got lucky with the timeline. But, in 2026, that won't be optional; I will need to make decisions on a mitigation solution.
We moved here in Jan 2024 and started this project during the summer of 2025; we finished the project shortly after school started in Aug 2025 as we planted the tub ponds and the surroundings. All the trunks and branches came from other locations on our property, but we bought in the plants from online vendors.
I'll need to post more photos in the spring as things emerge.
Sort of. A previous owner left behind metal tubs, about 10 gallon estimated volume. I wanted to place a pond into this wildlife garden from the day we moved in, but I was worried about having to dig in so close to the house and possibly over the gas line (I actually don't know the exact location of the incoming line).
Using the tubs was helpful. It is about 12 inches of depth per hole, with about 2 inches of the lip above ground. I also filled the bottom with large rocks, pebbles, and sand. I used a planting sock and aquatic soil/growing media for the plants.
We also have a shallow birdbath left behind in this garden. It holds water, but cannot retain water in the heat of summer. It dries out too quickly.
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Make sure that there is a "ladder" out of the pond so if a small critter falls in they can escape. Fishing dead mice out of the swimming pool was always gross.
Yes, I had a visiting bird that drowned in one pond sometime in the first days. I placed large-ish rocks that offer a platform at a height to get toes wet (bird toes, not people toes), and ensure a non-aquatic creature can escape. I'm thinking of buying a few driftwood pieces to include next spring and summer.
What did you do about mosquitoes? Or did they just not attract them? I've got some similar tubs that i've contemplated doing this with but any standing water in my yard turns into a mosquito making machine as soon as i look away.
Not OP, but I have a large birdbath bowl on the ground in my pollinator garden. A 20$ solar powered fountain works wonderfully. Have had it for more than a year and it’s still going. It has various settings, mine just burbles a little. I have seeen bees and dragonflies drink from it. No mosquitoes larvae!
In this first year I didn't have a mitigation strategy. I did observe mosquito larvae in the water sometimes. I know it was used by mosquitos to lay eggs. I began to learn and consider options, but did not close the loop and decide on a mitigation strategy. It was a short period between completion to cooler fall weather, so I kind of got lucky with the timeline. But, in 2026, that won't be optional; I will need to make decisions on a mitigation solution.
Our garden is near Pittsburgh, PA in zone 6.
We moved here in Jan 2024 and started this project during the summer of 2025; we finished the project shortly after school started in Aug 2025 as we planted the tub ponds and the surroundings. All the trunks and branches came from other locations on our property, but we bought in the plants from online vendors.
I'll need to post more photos in the spring as things emerge.
Dumb guy question: is it simply a small watering hole?
I have placed large but shallow birdbaths on the ground, these seem like a much better idea.
Sort of. A previous owner left behind metal tubs, about 10 gallon estimated volume. I wanted to place a pond into this wildlife garden from the day we moved in, but I was worried about having to dig in so close to the house and possibly over the gas line (I actually don't know the exact location of the incoming line).
Using the tubs was helpful. It is about 12 inches of depth per hole, with about 2 inches of the lip above ground. I also filled the bottom with large rocks, pebbles, and sand. I used a planting sock and aquatic soil/growing media for the plants.
We also have a shallow birdbath left behind in this garden. It holds water, but cannot retain water in the heat of summer. It dries out too quickly.
Well, I have my spring project for 2026. Thanks for sharing.