Floating Island Tutorial with pictures

[LynneNY]

Greenthumbnails was kind enough to post a link to another site in my pond chat post) with directions for making floating islands. It looked easy enough, so I bought the supplies yesterday, and whipped one up this morning lickety split - less than 10 minutes.  I substituted power lock cable ties for the plastic screws, as my husband had a huge container of them, and I thought they'd be easier to use - they were really easy!

Here are the supplies -
1 - green styrofoam floral wreath. I only found these at Michaels - the other stores had flimsier white ones that came apart when I touched them - I figured the fish could swallow parts - not good!  
1 - coco liner - again, only found this at one nursery and 12 inches was the smallest size they had. 
8 - power lock cable ties.
A scissor to cut the mat to fit to size.



The mat was too big for the wreath, so I had to cut a small wedge out of it to fit. This was fine, as the mat split on one side as I was handling it, and it was the perfect place to cut.

The split area



Cut and pieced together


Checking the fit before attaching


Cable ties locked around liner and wreath


Planted and floating in pond 


I didn't have the best plants to put in it, but I had gone to many private nurseries yesterday and they are mostly closing out their plants already for this season. I put a lantana in the center, surronded by marigolds and dwarf zinnias. Hopefully they will fill out soon.

I am planning on making a couple more, and hopefully I will be able to find different plants. The pond is in full all day sun, so that's a bit of a problem for plants.

[Kittyzee]

Wow, that's awesome!  I've seen creeping jenny (with other plants too) in them and it trails in the water and I have a bunch of that growing in the ground! Thanks for the tutorial! 

[LynneNY]

Thanks! I do have a creeping Jenny, but it's still in its original pot, and when I had it in the sun for a few days it turned pretty brown. I'm not sure it would be able to handle the strong full day sun? I'd love to put it in one if it would work.

I might try some ajuga in another one, as I have lots of that growing on the waterfall hills.

[Kittyzee]

I have creeping jenny everywhere, I guess that's why they call it creeping jenny.... , but when it's in full sun it does look a little brown.  I've also noticed that when it gets more water, it looks better.  Wonder if it would look better even in full sun, if it gets all the water it needs floating in an island?  I feel an experiment coming on.....

[greenthumbnails]

Awesome!    I like your cable ties idea...they are easier to find too. 

 You could try impatients, or caladiums, or definitely taros.  I've seen a couple of threads where people had impatients growing in the rocks between their waterfalls and I think Tinkster had some caladiums growing in hers.  The taro would work for sure, I have them growing everywhere....

 

[DrHarryLopez]

I love this project, nicely done ands thank you for sharing.

[LynneNY]

Well the lantana and dwarf zinnias do not like it in the water and are pretty much dead. I am going to replant this one. I just made another one and am going to try one of the 2 calibrachoas I bought 2 days ago. Some places online say it doesn't like wet feet, but others say it cannot dry out completely between watering. It will be an experiment.

By the way, if anyone who is interested in making these has a JoAnn's craft store nearby, all the gardening items there are 70% off - I bought 6 of the coco liners for $1.50 each. They are a bit large for the 12 inch rings - largest size I can find so far, but I cut them in 2 spots and they fit perfectly. I also used coupons again for rings, bringing the total for this island (minus the plants and soil) to $4 since my husband already had a large container of the cable ties.

[2vetts]

this really fascinates me . i was wondering , if the containers are bigger than the ring couldn't one put the ring [or two if more buoyancy is needed ] on inside of container . . .peace  .....ps . one could also toss a couple little pieces of foam in bottom of container to lighten it .

[greenthumbnails]

Well the lantana and dwarf zinnias do not like it in the water and are pretty much dead. I am going to replant this one. I just made another one and am going to try one of the 2 calibrachoas I bought 2 days ago. Some places online say it doesn't like wet feet, but others say it cannot dry out completely between watering. It will be an experiment.

By the way, if anyone who is interested in making these has a JoAnn's craft store nearby, all the gardening items there are 70% off - I bought 6 of the coco liners for $1.50 each. They are a bit large for the 12 inch rings - largest size I can find so far, but I cut them in 2 spots and they fit perfectly. I also used coupons again for rings, bringing the total for this island (minus the plants and soil) to $4 since my husband already had a large container of the cable ties.

That's a sweet deal!  I have not been in a JoAnns fabrics/crafts in years. Did not know they would carry that stuff.  Thought I had seen some of the coco fiber pots and green rings in the floral dept in Wally World though.

[LynneNY]

We have the smallest Walmart in the company here  - they told me that when they first converted Caldors to Walmart. They did away with their craft department altogether a few years ago , and we only have 1/2 of one side of an aisle now. No florist supplies at all.

I put one of the calibrachoas in the new floater, and then pulled out the origianal plants and put in some hosta that I took from a cousin in Connecticut a few weeks ago, surrounded by some of my tri-colored ajuga. Hopefully the hosta will do ok in the full sun with the roots kept cool and wet. Time will tell. Right now it looks great . Took pictures, but my husband is working on my desktop computer so I can't upload them yet.

[LynneNY]

2vetts - the coco liner is not really a container, so it holds up best when inserted inside the rings.  I didn't mind cutting it and "sewing" it with the cargo ties.  This time I cut on 2 opposite sides, which made the bottom of the liner much more balanced. Live 'n learn! 

[LynneNY]

Ok finally got pictures online.

New island in back corner - hosta from a cousin's yard, and tri-colored ajuga from the waterfall hills surrounding the hosts.





Calibrachoa - million bells

[greenthumbnails]

Sweet! That looks awesome and so many more points of interest to look at  Sure beats the frisbee...

[miguynmkoi]

Very nice floating island planters.  I did something similar using a 99 cent plastic colander with zip ties to black pipe insulation.  It has lasted for at least 3 years.  Last year and this year I have made them into baby goldies hideaways.  They can swim into the safe haven of the colander to live until they feel safe in the big world of hungry fishies.

[LynneNY]

Great idea, Annette! 

I am sad to say that the calibrachoa is totally dead - it did NOT like being so wet at all.

And... the hosta mostly burned out in my all day hot sun, and we've had little rain all month so far. I cut it way back last evening hoping that at least the ajuga will fill out and grow over the rim. Time will tell.

Still looking for suggestions for plants that will take these awful temps in the 90's and all day blaring sun?

[Kittyzee]

A large floating ring would take a canna, a taro maybe and petunias.    Water celery would be good too as long as it's contained in that floating ring.  Give it a chance and it will take over everything with runner roots!  Water snapdragons would be another one that would bloom it's head off and love the wet feet.