Building Your Barrel Pond

Building a barrel pond is a fairly easy and adds a lot of sound and beauty to a small space.

First you need to start out with a half whiskey or wine barrel.  These can be easily purchased at a home improvement center, or from a winery or distillery.  A twenty-five to forty gallon half barrel will cost you between $40 and $60 on average.  Be aware that wine and whiskey makers usually do NOT reuse their barrels, so if you're close to one of those fine establishments, call and see how they distribute their old ones.  I found my latest half barrel while driving in the California countryside.

Some people have been able to use these ponds without a liner, related to the fact that these barrel "swell" with the addition of moisture.  I personally prefer to use PVC liner and tack it down with upholstery tacks, or you can purchase a plastic insert.

The two major things you need for a successful barrel pond is four to six hours of sun, a filter and circulating system, and a few plants.

Filters and small pumps are easily found at the home improvement store.  Also to save money, put several ponds together and run one pump to circulate the water between all the ponds.

The most desirable plants for a barrel is a dwarf lily, some type of plant with some elevation in it like a dwarf umbrella, and a hyacinth or water cabbage for oxygenation.  You can also include one other smaller marginal for oxygenation and beautification.

Another stocking option would include:  cardinal flower, horsetail, arrowhead, lotus, dwarf iris, dwarf umbrella, water hyacinth, and water hawthorn.

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