Islandscapes Manual - ThePondOutlet.com

TMFloating IslandecosystemThank you for purchasing a Freedom Islandscape ṬM We are excited tohave you join our extended family of Islandscape owners. Islandscapesare easy to plant and launch - the helpful tips offered in this booklet willguide you through the process.LIVING FILTRATIONIslandscapes mimic a natural peatbog system. Plants and beneficialbacteria absorb excess nutrientsconsumed by algae. Islandscapes arethe natural way to achieve clear water.LOW MAINTENANCEImagine never needing to water your bedding plantsagain. You can leave foliage to grow in naturally, or tendyour Islandscape garden for the desired appearance.GROW ALL KINDS OFFLOWERS IN YOUR PONDTerrestrial plants and shrubs thrive in aunique hydroponic environment. Oncefully established it’s hard to tell anIslandscape from the old dirtand rock kind.FISH LOVE ‘EMIslandscapes provide shadeand safety from predators. Agreat environment for fish, frogs,salamanders & turtles too.ReCOMMeNDeDPLANt SPeCIeSMarginal Species:WillowsCattailsHorsetailWater CeleryBluebellsEdible Species:LettuceStrawberrySnap PeasZinniaBasilOrnamental Species:AmaryllisAfrican VioletWater Iris...and many more.Islandscapes can grow almostanything - herb gardens,terrestrial flowers, shrubs, andtrees. Nourished by a steadysupply of fresh water, bare plantroots are planted directly intospecially prepared IslandscapeFlexi-Mix.Visit www.freedomponds.comfor more planting suggestions.1StePPrepare work areaLarge fully planted Islandscapes can be difficult to moveon dry land. For large Islandscapes (IP300 & IP400), placea tarp at the shoreline or pond edge. Use the tarp as a workarea, then when you are ready to launch the slippery surfacemakes it easy to slide the Islandscape into the water.Materials Needed:Islandscape TMIslandscape Flexi-Mix• Nylon Tether Cord• Metal Landscape Pins• Landscape Flags (optional)• Small Landscape Rocks (to adjustbuoyancy, if necessary)• Serrated Knife• Turf, Plants or SeedsAdditional Flexi-Mix can bepurchased separately, if needed.• SafeAnchor (optional)2StePBuild an Islandscapes ArchipelagoYou can easily tether multiple Islandscapes TM together to create larger islandsor island chains.Archipelago(optional)3a) Turn the Islandscape right side up.Remove as many (or as few) of the 3”pocket plugs as your planting designrequires. (You can utilize 1” wickingchannels for smaller plants.)SteP4StePANChOR FLexI-MIx tuRFTurn your Islandscape upside down. Tie one end of anylon tether cord to the stainless steel ‘D’ ring on theunderside of the Islandscape. Make sure the cord islong enough to reach the bottom of the pond, (withenough slack to allow variation in the water level.)two Methods for tetheringa) Islandscapes can be tied to the shoreline for easymaintenance; some people do this the first few weekswhile their island is establishing itself.b) Alternately you can ties Islandscapes to a heavysubmerged object. For ponds with EPDM liners,use Freedom’s SafeAnchor, a soft anchoringsystem that contours to the bottom of your pond.(sold separately)Large Islandb) Fill the planting pockets generously withIslandscapes Flexi-Mix.IMPORtANtc) Press Flexi-Mix into each of the 1”wicking channels. Use firm pressure toeliminate air. Cover island completelywith remaining Flexi-Mix.Use of garden variety soil mix will void your warranty & inhibit plant growth.Islandscapes Flexi-Mix offers superior wicking properties (raising water to a heightof 7 inches) and its light weight minimizes negative buoyancy allowing for moredensely planted Islands.Traditional turf is laden with soil and too heavy for mostislands to support. Freedom recommends that you washroots to remove soil or purchase soil-less turf from aspecialty supplier.a) Simply roll turf onto your Islandscape so that itssurface is completely covered.Use landscape flags to keep track of underlyingplanting pockets while you are fitting theturf into position.b) Trim turf with a serrated knife so that there is aroughly 3 inch overlap; the turf should be flush withthe water line when launched.c) Use metal landscape pins to secure turf onto yourIslandscape - place pins at one foot intervals aroundthe outside edge of the Islandscape for best results.(see illustration below)Return this card today and receive these important benefits:Confirm your warranty - Your prompt product registration confirms your right to the protectionavailable under the terms and conditions of your Freedom warranty.Protect your product - We will keep the model number and date of purchase of your newFreedom product on file to help you refer to this information in the event of an insurance claimsuch as fire or theft.For additional comments or questions regarding Freedom products, please write to:NORthAMeRICAFreedom, Inc.6701 Jefferson St, NEAlbuquerque, NM 87109 USAProduct Registration Information • IMPORTANT • Please fill out and return within 10 days!Freedom Product Registration Card & QuestionnaireName_____________________________________________________________________________Company______________________________________Type of Business ______________________Address____________________________________________________________________________City/State/Zip______________________________________________________________________Phone__________________________Email______________________Fax_____________________Date of Purchase _____/_____/_____ Dealer Name and Location ___________________________Freedom Product Purchased:❑ IP050 Islandscape❑ IP100 Islandscape❑ IP200 IslandscapeuK andeuROPeFreedom LLCThe Coach HouseAshford LodgeHalstead EssexC09 2RR England❑ IP300 Islandscape❑ IP400 IslandscapeHow did you first hear about Freedom Islandscapes?❑ Contractor ❑ Catalog ❑ Flyer ❑ Store ❑ Friend/relative❑ Newspaper/magazine ❑ Internet ❑ Other: ________________________________If outside the US, please register online at freedomponds.com Thank you for purchasing this Freedom Product.

Islandscape Cross SectionFor More InformationCall Toll Free 866.860.FREE(3733) in US and Canadaor visit us online:www.freedomponds.com© 2008 Freedom Inc. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. Not to be reproduced in any media,whole or in part, without written permission. Printed in the USA.BUSINESS REPLY MAILFreedom Inc.6701 Jefferson St NeAlbuquerque, NM 87109PlaceBarcodeHerePlacePostageHereSteP5a) Rinse the soil off terrestrial plants to exposebare roots.b) Place plants into the Islandscape Flexi-Mix as youwould any planting bed. If using seeds, simply pressthe seeds into the Flexi-Mix.c) Pat down the Growing Media firmly.d) The rest of the island should be seeded withwildflowers or covered with grass for a naturalappearance. This will also protect the bio-matrixfrom the sun’s UV rays. (Like most fibers the biomatrixwill eventually break down if left unprotectedin full sun exposure.)e) If planting into a turf covered Islandscape, cut aroundeach flag to expose the planting pockets beneath.tIP67StePStePLANt LAuNChUse a durable serrated knife to cut through turfroots and reach the planting pockets.a) Pick up the anchor, or place it on topof the Islandscape. Slide or lift yourIslandscape into the water.b) Lower the anchor when the Islandscapereaches the desired location in your pond.c) The top edge of the Islandscape should sit3 to 5 inches above the water. As a rule ofthumb, if half the thickness of the islandis showing above water, your Islandscapeis floating optimally. If the island floatsunevenly or rides too high, you can addevenly spaced landscape rocks to the top ofthe island. Often these can be removed in aweek or so, after the plant roots have grownthrough the media to the water below.The bottom of the wicking channels must be in contact withthe water so that wicking action can occur. Confirm that theGrowing Media is appropriately moist after launch. You canadjust buoyancy by adding or subtracting rocks to the top of theIslandscape.NeveR WAteR AgAINYou do not need to water yourIslandscape due to the wickingaction of the Islandscapes Soil Blend.SteP MAINtAIN• Check the Islandscape a few days after launch to ensure that water is reaching plant roots.Alternately, if the Islandscape is sitting too low it may appear waterlogged. In either case, youmay need to adjust the buoyancy by adding or removing rocks.• Whether you choose to manicure your island or allow it to grow naturally is purely a matter ofpersonal taste.• Islandscapes may occasionally float lower in the water after rain. It will resume its normalposition in a day or two.• Your Islandscape can be left in the pond over the winter. It is durable enough to withstand hardwinter freezing. For best results trim foliage in fall or spring as you would any terrestrial garden.Share photos of your IslandscapeTMand see what others are planting.visit the photo gallery atwww.freedomponds.comNWF logo is a trademark of NationalWildlife Federation and is used withpermission. For more information,please visit www.nwf.org.in cooperation withHabitat and BeautificationCO2 ReductionPhosphate CaptureDiverse FoliageVersatile Planting BedHabitat for TurtlesFrogs, DucksAerobic FiltrationOpen Weave Growing MatrixWicking Channels for Even MoistureFosters Beneficial BacteriaHabitat and FiltrationNitrogen Fixing Root StructuresFish ForagingPredator ProtectionShadeO2 ExchangeIslandscapes are made of recycled biomeshbonded by buoyant foam. They are pesticideherbicidefree, and durable enough to withstandhard winter freezing.CO2O2PLANtINg guIDein cooperation with