The flotation of the soil is achieved by piling it onto strips of matted water hyacinth tubers. Water hyacinths have buoyant bulb like nodules that float and after about 20 to 30 years the hyacinths form into dense mats of leaves, sediment and debris that can support the weight of the soil. Farmers cut these mats into strips and anchor them into place with bamboo poles.
The floating garden method of agriculture, locally known as ye-chan, probably dates back to the end of the 19th century but was not widely practiced until the 1960’s when new infrastructure made it easier to get crops to market. The practice has continued to grow and has created concerns over its environmental impact, particularly the use of pesticides which run off into the lake.