If you have just received an order of water lilies, the first thing you should do is open the package and place the plants in some water until they are planted. 

There are many ways to grow beautiful water lilies.  This is one way to do it. 

Fill a GroBag (see aquatic supplies in our eshop catalog ) about 1/3 full of top soil, not potting soil.  Compress the soil and add water as you fill the pot.  This helps to prevent the soil from floating out of the pot when it is placed in the pond. 

Mix about 1-2 tablespoons of bone meal in the top 1 inch of soil and add a fertilizer tablet or two depending upon the manufacturers recommen-
dation.

Fill the bag with well composted cow manure until the bag is 2/3 full.  Place the water lily plant in the center of the pot if it is a tropical or on the side with the growing tip pointed toward the center if it is a hardy plant.  Make sure the top of the crown will be barely exposed when finished.  Fill the bag to within one inch of the top with more top soil.
Continue to press the soil and add water as you fill the pot. 

Place stones on top to help hold the planting medium in place.  Use stones larger than the mouth of your Koi if they will be sharing the pond with the plant.  An alternative is to use the GroBag with drawstrings. Available under aquatic supplies in our eshop catalog. 

Place the planted water lily in your pond.  If it is a very small plant submerse only a few inches under water and then lower it gradually as the plant elongates.  You may need to use bricks to hold the pot near the water surface.

Water lilies require full sun for best blooming.  A few varieties will bloom if they receive a minimum of five hours of sun.  The one exception is N. minuta which will grow in the shade.  See it listed under pink and red tropical water lilies in our eshop catalog. Fertilizing frequency depends upon the product used.  Shorter rather than longer intervals between feedings is beneficial as water lilies are heavy feeders.  Check out our fertilizer tablets in the aquatic supplies section of the eshop catalog.

Repot your plant when you can no longer press the fertilizer tablets into the soil or when blooming slows.  This may be in one year or longer.

Sit down by your pond and enjoy the fruits of your labor.  Don't forget to smell your Wonderful Water Lilies.

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© Copyright  2009 by Wonderful Water Lilies
Last updated May 2009