How to make cheap plant floating 'baskets'

[Crystal]

This year, many of my submerged pond plants weren't doing well, so I decided to try more emerged plants. My raised pond lacks shallow spots to set the baskets.

So, I needed a floating plant basket. A quick check at the online prices made my eyes go wide, so I decided to make what I needed.

Here we go:

 

Materials: (Can all be found at a dollar store or craft section)

Styrofoam (preferably a circle, but you can cut one up from packing scraps if need be.) I got two small ones or one larger one for $2 at the dollar store

Sponges (the cheap type with no chemicals, the 8 for $2 kind) (This gives us a light medium for the roots to grow in).

 

Plant cuttings.  I also have a list of good plants at the bottom.

 

Depending on the size you are making, you may need these:

plastic drink cup

Craft mesh   (the white grid-like stuff in the craft section)

wood skewer   (or a stick, or cut-up popsicle stick).

 

 

I made three different sizes:  Super small, Medium, Large  (There were larger rings at the store, but this shows a few options...)

You can spray paint them if the brilliant white annoys you as much as it annoys me. Krylon Fusion was my favorite, but seems to have disappeared. I have used Rustoleum painters touch paint+primer with no problems. Spray thin coats and it barely damages the styrofoam (most spray paints eat styrofoam like candy...). I only spray the top and sides, leaving the bottom untouched.

 

 

Super small:   Excellent if you just want to try out floating plants and only have $5

I got a 4 pack of small 3 inch rings for $1.50 and a pack of 8 sponges for $2.

Just cut the sponge in half and slide it into the ring. You can always pierce the foam with a skewer to ensure it can't fall through the ring (optional. I never did it.)

Use one of the blades on the scissors or a knife to cut little slots for your plant stems. Holds 2-3 little plants nicely.

Squeeze the sponge beneath water since a dry sponge is somewhat water-repellent. Insert the plant stems and set to floating. If the cuttings are fresh, try to keep them semi-shaded for a day or so until they start to get rootlets.

 

 

For $3 and twenty some cents, I got 4 little floating planters.

Ideal plants are small ones: coleus, trailers (such as parrots feather), various stem plants common in aquariums (like moneywort or creeping jenny), or ivys.

 

 

 

Medium:  I like this size in my smaller pond.  Not too tiny, but not too overbearing either.

I picked up a two-pack of 5.5" sytrofoam rings for $2. Still had sponges from the above project.

I had some plastic solo cups that fit into the ring almost perfectly. I cut the bottom off one and inserted it.

Then I cut up the styrofoam and put it inside. I had to wedge two side by side so they would stay put.

Insert plant stems. This size of styrofoam is pretty buoyant, and with the deeper bottom, can handle larger plants like dwarf rushes or standing stem plants like geraniums.

 

 

For under $4, I got two nice floaters.

Ideal plants are pretty much anything that doesn't grow too tall (or it may overturn in a large wind). Coleus, geraniums, trailers, stem plants, tomatoes, or any houseplant that takes cuttings well.

 

 

Large:  This has a lot of potential. Large and extremely bouyant, it is tough to submerge and nearly impossible for the wind or fish to flip over.

A nine inch ring cost me $3. I needed craft mesh (usually white, but I found it in black). 

If you could find a large plastic pot the right size, that is another option if you want taller plants (I am not touching on that here though).

 

Take the ring and cut the mesh to size. Use fishing line to secure it (string and thread will rot).

Cut foam to fit inside. Make slots for the plants and insert them.

 

 

A circle of this size makes for a stunning mat of mixed plants. Creeping jenny, parrots feather, coleus, and several taller plants like geraniums or small rushes/sedges.

For $5, I got a large floater that I plan to completely cover in different colored coleuses with a central geranium. I will post pictures once I get the cuttings and let them grow a bit.

 

 

Good plants:

This list was a bit of challenge for me to make since I am still trying out plants in a pond that receives a lot of harsh reflected sun glare - and it is far from complete. I will keep updating this list as I find things that work long-term.

 

In general, try to pick plants that have no problem with their roots in the water long-term. Many plants will take cuttings in water, but suffer after 2-3 months if not put into dirt.

 

Many trailing annuals in the garden centers will live quite happily in water (Creeping Jenny & geraniums, for example). 

Or you can go hiking to a nearby pond/lake for some natives (Like marsh marigold, sedges, or mare's tail)

Many aquarium plants will also adapt to emerged pond life. Moneywort and parrots feather are a couple of examples.

Many tropical plants that take cuttings will work as well. (Ivys, begonias, baby's tears, spider plants, devil's tongue, various succulents, etc)

Quite a few herbs also do nicely (mints, rosemary, basil, and sage)

I even heard several people tell me that tomatoes do well like this. (I will have to try it this year...)

 

I prefer fast-growing plants since they are the ones that really keep my water clean.  Although you can experiment as well (ever try growing an avocado plant from seed? Dozens of tutorials on Google say you just need water and a seed).

 

My personal favorites:

Parrots feather   (hard to find lately, but my top favorite. Fast growing and doesn't care if its leaves are above or below water.)

Coleus   (Comes in 50+ color varieties from reds to greens to blues and more. These things are weeds... I kept one in a vase of water for 3 years on a windowsill and it was completely happy...)

Moneywort/creeping jenny  (The aquarium variety does seem quite different from the garden ones, even though they are - supposedly - the same plant. I have both types and they are thriving. The garden creeping jenny is more heat tolerant than the aquarium moneywort.)

Geraniums  (nothing like a blooming plant to make people do a double take)

german ivy   (doesn't like its leaves underwater, but if you use several rings to support them, this is an insanely fast and aggressive grower that is commonly found in garden centers).

Spider plants  (easy to source for free, tolerate high heat, and easy to rehome come autumn)

 

 

I will update this post later this year with more pictures to show how well things do.

[Crystal]

Plants:

 

Greenery:

Parrots feather   

Coleus   

Moneywort

Creeping Jenny    

german ivy  

Spider plants  

baby's tears

devil's tongue

various succulents

pothos vine

mare's tail (native)

horsetail (native)

water wisteria

pennywort

 

Flowering:

mosaic plant

waterpoppy

pickerel weed

Marsh marigold (native)

Geraniums

begonias

 

Herbs:

mints

rosemary

basil

sage

 

 

Very large: (probably better off in a pot in the water as they can get top heavy)

cana lilly

cattail

reeds

taro

sweet flag

 

 

Feel free to post or PM suggestions of plants that don't mind their roots submerged for an extended period and I will update this list.