Floating island

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I have devised a way to create a floating island for my pond. Since I built it with steep sides with no shelves around the sides I had to figure out the best way to put in pond plants. I made a square out of black 3 inch PVC pipe, gluing all the joints so it would float and then put a large pot in the center, held in place by plastic wire tie wraps. I can then put the
plant in the center pot. To keep it in one place in the pond, I created an anchor. I used a nursery pot, filled with concrete with an eye bolt in the center. I used plastic chain to attach it to the center of the floating island. So far this has worked.

I have to learn the best way to pot lilies so they last more than a year. I have books that show how (as well as you folks on this forum) but I think I will go to Hughes Water Garden for a class on pond planting this Spring. I added a second pond last September, above ground, so it feeds the existing pond which is larger. I will post some pictures soon.
Thanks, John
 

Meyer Jordan

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The most effective floating island structures have no bottom allowing the plant roots to protrude into the water column. Nutrient uptake is optimized and the plants rhizosphere provide habitat for myriad and diverse organisms supplementing the pond's existing food web/chain.
biohaven-diagram.jpg
 
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The most effective floating island structures have no bottom allowing the plant roots to protrude into the water column. Nutrient uptake is optimized and the plants rhizosphere provide habitat for myriad and diverse organisms supplementing the pond's existing food web/chain.
biohaven-diagram.jpg

What is this floating on? I like it.
 
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There are numerous floating island products at our local fish hatchery. @pecan makes her from floating styrofoam. I purchased floating nets and just put plants directly in the nets....they took off like wild wire last year and the fish love to nibble on their roots.
 
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I purchased floating nets and just put plants directly in the nets
I did this also and the plants did great, I had water hyacinth in mine but the problem I had is that the fish would get stuck inside of it. So I ended up putting a large hole on the bottom so they could get out. The frogs liked it and I had a snake on mine a few times.
 
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The foam I used was the insulation sheet of pink foam from HD. I liked it better then regular old styro foam, because it can be cut more easily and the edges sanded. Cut holes in it for plants then vwalla floating island.

My fish love it and spend a lot of time hiding under it in the cooler months.
 

sissy

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I made window screen plant pockets to lay over the side of my pond .Sad to say but floating any thing in my pond gets flipped over by my 2 biggest koi and what a mess they make
 
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A 6" deep concrete mixing tray with a heavy loam dirt works well to anchor medium size hardy waterlilies, top the dirt with heavy flat rock or pebbles too big for fish to pester...

Hardy waterlilies will grow biggish when in ponds with ample fertility...

Photo, floating island for the larger pond, chaining tires together (a neat way to use old tires) with a mesh net spread over, to anchor and mesh aquatic plants growing bare root

Regards, andy
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/
 

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