Do any of you have a back yard pond?

[Steltek]

You can actually add BTI (bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) to the water to kill mosquito, blackfly, and fungus gnat larvae. It is EPA approved, isn't toxic to either humans or fish, and doesn't affect anything else.

We live in a mosquito haven (Arkansas) and my mother used it successfully to control mosquitoes in the little yard pond she had for a few years.

Too bad it didn't affect the snakes, though, which were a whole other problem....

 

[Greenman]

I'm right next door in Mississippi, and don't have any sort of mosquito problems. Haven't seen one all summer.
Thanks for the BTI tip. Right now I'm not sure if I'll move forward with this. I really do want the little waterfall, but not sure I want the hassle of a pond.

 

[highland145]

The wife loves hearing water...ocean, river, fountain. My niece made these cement pieces using elephant ear leaves. Largest being 30x20. My plan was to use a 3 tiered system pouring into a small catch basin. The vine covered thing is the fountain she bought. Hate it. It's the girl/boy at the water pump. Puke. It's on the old oak stump that's just about to give up the ghost. Meaning, I might be able to dig it out without breaking my back.

Figured I can have a small basin for the sound, bury a 5 gal bucket for the bulk of the water and pump. Just have to figure the structure cause the leaves are heavy.

Winter project.

 

[sdifox]

I'm right next door in Mississippi, and don't have any sort of mosquito problems. Haven't seen one all summer.
Thanks for the BTI tip. Right now I'm not sure if I'll move forward with this. I really do want the little waterfall, but not sure I want the hassle of a pond.

Amazon.ca

I am sure you are handy enough to build one yourself.

 

[iRONic]

Screen grab from overhead security camera. Whole thing is maybe 15 feet long by 10 feet wide. Little bit in disarray since I can't be outside much in heat.

View attachment 105302

A McMansion of such grandeur! Your gardener should be able to keep those grounds immaculate! 😉

 

[iRONic]

@GodisanAtheist posted about his amazing pond here:


https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/2024-gardening-thread-what-are-you-growing-in-your-garden-this-year.

 

[iRONic]

Start with a fish tank. If you can deal with the hassle of a indoor fish tank, then graduate to a pond.

Maybe a indoor living wall is more your thing?

Example

View attachment 105304


You can have a fish pond below it and pump the water to irrigate the plants. Fish waste will go through nitrite cycle and feed the plants.

That wall is cool af! Thanks for posting it.

 

[iRONic]

I’m growing ferns and other shade tolerant plants underneath the wisteria walkway. This small fountain is all the water I really feel like adding.

 

[iRONic]

I add a product called mosquito dunks to the water. You can find it on Amazon.

 

[Steltek]

I add a product called mosquito dunks to the water. You can find it on Amazon.

That is a form of BTI.

 

[Greenman]

Amazon.ca

I am sure you are handy enough to build one yourself.

Wouldn't be all that tough to build. Plastic would be the obvious first choice for material, though white oak would last for years and have that nice natural look.
Tragically, I cut up the last of my 8/4 white oak yesterday for a a scale model water tower the wife want's in the back yard.
I kind of like the living wall thing, but that looks like a lot of maintenance. Though if I could classify it as gardening it becomes the wife's problem as that's her department. So much to think about.

 

[sdifox]

Wouldn't be all that tough to build. Plastic would be the obvious first choice for material, though white oak would last for years and have that nice natural look.
Tragically, I cut up the last of my 8/4 white oak yesterday for a a scale model water tower the wife want's in the back yard.
I kind of like the living wall thing, but that looks like a lot of maintenance. Though if I could classify it as gardening it becomes the wife's problem as that's her department. So much to think about.

They are pretty self sustaining, just enough light and water. And like you said, your gardiner's problem. UV the water for the living wall to inhibit bacterial growth.

If wall is in an area without enough natural light, just add grow lights. You could make it a vertical veggie garden.

 

[Greenman]

The wife loves hearing water...ocean, river, fountain. My niece made these cement pieces using elephant ear leaves. Largest being 30x20. My plan was to use a 3 tiered system pouring into a small catch basin. The vine covered thing is the fountain she bought. Hate it. It's the girl/boy at the water pump. Puke. It's on the old oak stump that's just about to give up the ghost. Meaning, I might be able to dig it out without breaking my back.

Figured I can have a small basin for the sound, bury a 5 gal bucket for the bulk of the water and pump. Just have to figure the structure cause the leaves are heavy.

Winter project.

View attachment 105447

Sounds to me like you need a mini excavator.

 

[Greenman]

They are pretty self sustaining, just enough light and water. And like you said, your gardiner's problem. UV the water for the living wall to inhibit bacterial growth.

If wall is in an area without enough natural light, just add grow lights. You could make it a vertical veggie garden.

Oakland airport did it big time.

 

[highland145]

The bed is about 9' across.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

We had a pool, filled in to make a garden, then added a small 'frog pond' plastic liner, maybe 3'x3' or so. There's a few goldfish in it (not sure they'll survive the winter) and others it collects a couple peepers and toads. The eat the mosquito eggs/larvae and they relocate to our very large pond on the property once the little one gets too crowded. It works well for us and creates a nice feature in the garden.

No fanciful moving water though, not enough space for a real muck pump and anything smaller gets clogged with bio-horror in a few days.

 

[IronWing]

We had a small pond with waterfall. We gave up on it as it was attracting too many birds and the birds were spreading diseases amongst themselves. But we live in a desert so water is the ultimate magnet. We filled in the basin and planted yerba mansa.

 

[Greenman]

Wife hates frogs, decided a pond is out. Now it's a pergola with a swing seat. Found a fellow selling white Oak lumber for about the same price as PT at the Homie.

 

[iRONic]

My wife went to high school with a guy who makes Cherry furniture by hand from trees on his land in Brandenburg KY. He charged me $400 for this swing I gave my wife for an anniversary gift.

 

[iRONic]

 

[Greenman]

That's pretty much what I'll be building, though I hope to use White Oak.

 

[jmagg]

I talked the wife out of a pond awhile back for most of the reasons mentioned. She did end up getting a self contained fountain for the sound of running water, which she actually uses constantly.

 

[iRONic]

Everyone in our family enjoys the sound of running water also.
Since our 24’ AG pool is adjacent to the patio I just turned the return water jet up so it's always making noise. It drowns out any gurgling noise that fountain makes easily.

 

[jmagg]

She does want a pool..

 

[iRONic]

Relatively inexpensive and great for the staycations if you have kids. Real easy to maintain if you stay on top of it.