Another Floating Island Method

[Timothy]

This may have been addressed in the past, but here's yet another method of building floating islands. These will support an amazing amount of weight and are still easy to tend to.
I mentioned in another thread that I had a couple of these but didn't discuss the building aspect.
All they are is 2" rigid closed cell insulation available from Lowe's, Home Depot, or any large hardware store. Both of these islands came from the same 4'X4' piece of material.
I cut them to shape, and lay the pot arrangement out on the surface. Cutting holes in the foam at a slight angle prevents the pots from going all the way through. A piece of scrap EPDM is then cut and fitted to the foam. This isn't necessary, but gives a tougher surface to the foam. A piece of burlap covers the entire island, and if allowed to hang over the edge provides a great place for fish to hide, stays damp on the surface making frogs feel right at home too. (I also inserted a
photo of "Moby Goldfish.) Here's a quick photo essay;

.

 

[addy1]

Nice island!

 

[tbendl]

Very neat.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Can I ask what department the foam comes from, or what it is originally used for? I'm wondering how the foam would hold up to a Winter freeze, because once the plants die back my fish are terribly exposed.

 

[Timothy]

In my area the builders use it as foundation insulation installed on the outside of the cellar walls before back filling. I don't know how it would respond to ice although I suspect it would suffer some damage. I pull mine out when ice starts forming, but I do leave them outside to be covered by snow and exposed to the weather. I also allow my pond to freeze over save for the small hole kept open by a low wattage heater designed for the purpose to allow gases to escape.

 

[mrtrumpet]

Nice! I trust the material is not toxic in any way...

 

[Timothy]

Nice! I trust the material is not toxic in any way...

No sir, totally benign. Frogs, tads, mosquito fish, goldfish, and salamanders have been all over and around them with no ill effects.

 

[Timothy]

An update on the island described above. Sadly, it's getting closer to fall and will have to be dismantled within a month or so..

 

[sissy]

yep worst is that when it really becomes beautiful it is time to put it to sleep .I have to go out again and dig up about 6 more banana babies .This morning 49 degrees and 90 % humidity and supposed to get up to 84 degrees .It makes me wonder about winter because we usually do not get these chilly nights until October .But great for the electric bill no air conditioning needed

 

[Timothy]

yep worst is that when it really becomes beautiful it is time to put it to sleep ............................It makes me wonder about winter because we usually do not get these chilly nights until October .But great for the electric bill no air conditioning needed

Exactly! All the plants have done so well this year in spite of a rough start this spring. We are having a stretch of weather that is way out of character for this region.
Our temps are running the opposite, we're getting subtly lulled into a false sense of security as our daytime highs are running 10 degrees above average and some of the plants are getting second blooms. The pond water is 68 degrees which would have been even higher if it wasn't for some recent rain. In the past when the pond was a pool, we'd close it Labor Day weekend because the water was too chilly, and the leaves were starting to fall.
I have a hard time thinking about putting pond related items in storage when it's 80 degrees out!
This isn't even Indian Summer as we haven't come close to a frost yet.

 

[Tula]

An update on the island described above. Sadly, it's getting closer to fall and will have to be dismantled within a month or so..
View attachment 86241 View attachment 86242

I love your Dr. Suess quote ...in addition to your islands.

 

[sissy]

our nights here are strange and not sure what that means ,will there be an early frost as last year we did not get a frost until November .My leaves here have turned yellow from the lack of rain but the heavy dew we have been getting has made the grass and flowers grow great .This is the first year in a 11 years that we have not had brown crunchy grass by this time .I looked back at all my pics and brown was the key word for July ,Agust and September .The banana plants don't seem to mind as they have put out more babies that i need to dig up .They are taller than ever and this is there first full year in the ground

 

[Timothy]

Thank you Tula!

Sissy, what are the requirements for banana plants? Could they survive zone 5 with some pampering?

 

[sissy]

I think the cold hardy ones can ,i had them in NJ and I would put 6 bags of mulch around them .I would open the bottom bags and spread the mulch all around 4 feet and then put bags and a tarp on top of them .As long as the ground stays warm they are fine .I even had elephant ears in NJ and used the same method to protect them .i never dug them up .I used black plastic on the elephant ears to absorb more heat from the sun .

 

[Timothy]

I don't know......last year we had a consistent 27" of snow covering everything from Thanksgiving on. Although the snow is a good insulator, I'm not sure with everything else we have to coddle through the winter if I want to take on another "dependent". It would be a novelty up here in the summer though. Maybe we'd do as well trying one in a big pot first........hmmm, just what I needed.