The Wonders of Water Lilies

They help to keep algae growth and water temperatures down by blocking out a lot of direct sunlight with their floating leaves. These leaves also provide shelter and hiding spaces for fish and water creatures alike. Water lilies can also help keep your pond clean and clear since they absorb nutrients from the water that would typically go towards feeding undesirable algae.

Water lilies are a good choice for beginners as they are dependable and easy to plant. The flowers blossom from spring to fall and go dormant in the winter. If you’d love to try growing water lilies but don’t have your own pond (yet!), well good news–water lilies can also thrive in decorative aquatic planters which you can display anywhere in your yard.

Planting Instructions

The planting steps are the same whether you are planting in an aquatic container or directly into a pond. You must first properly plant the rhizome–the water lily “seed”–in an aquatic planter roughly 14” x 7” in size. We recommend using a fabric or burlap planter as they are flexible and porous. Look for options with rope handles to assist with lowering the plant into your pond or container.

Once you have your planter, pour in a generous amount of proper aquatic potting media. This type of soil is heavier than fluffy potting soil which would float out of the container once submerged. Clean up the rhizome before adding it to the soil by removing old leaves and thick, fleshy roots. This will allow the water lily to focus its energy on growing new roots, stems, and blooms.

Make sure to place the rhizome at a 45º angle towards the center of the planter when adding it into the soil. The cut end should be placed at the edge of the pot and deeper into the soil. The growing tip should be exposed above the soil about three quarters of an inch.

To help keep the soil from escaping the planter once submerged, add a layer of gravel or small pebbles on top, about half an inch thick. Use a darker colored gravel if you don’t want the planter to be visible from above the water.

With the gravel in place, you can now lower the aquatic planter into either your decorative container or pond. If using a decorative container, it should be filled with water before you begin lowering the planter. It is important that you lower the planter at an angle to allow air to escape. Set the base of the planter 12”-18” deep under the water’s surface. If you are placing the planter into a pond that is deeper than 18”, utilize a planting ledge or rock support to keep the planter at the correct depth.

Final Notes

Congratulations! You are now on your way to growing your very own water lilies. These aquatic plants have a ferocious appetite and will perform best if well fed, so be sure to fertilize them! You can place aquatic fertilizer pellets directly into the soil.

Water lilies will also thrive in an area that receives at least 8-10 hours of direct sun per day. If your garden does not receive this amount of sun, consider growing a shade-tolerant water lily variety. They can tolerate as little as 4 hours.

If you are new to water lilies or have limited space, start with container growing only. Water lilies will grow to be the size of the container they are in. It may become overwhelming to manage an entire pond of water lilies if you are new to the practice.  Contact us to build a beauty pond to place all those flowers!

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“Water Lilies’ is an extension of my life. Without the water, the lilies cannot live, as I am without art.” “I must have flowers. Always and always.”

-C. Monet

A famous quote from Monet regarding his deep love for flowers and particularly his collection of gorgeous water lilies. We couldn’t agree more, they truly are magnificent, all the while adding playfulness and whimsy to any water garden.

We believe a garden pond isn’t complete without a water lily – as nothing can compare with their dramatic leaves and beautiful flowers. Did you know, they are also attractive to bees, dragonflies and butterflies when in flower, too?

Once you know the secret to planting and growing healthy lilies, you’ll reap the reward of seeing bloom after spectacular bloom. So here’s Five Easy Tips you need to know and how to properly care for them.

Tip 1. Feed your Water Lilies

Fertilizer is “flower power” and key to enjoying a prolific display of blooms throughout the summer and into fall. When choosing to fertilize, you can choose between an annual fertilizer that you apply once the season begins, or you can utilize fertilizer tabs that you push into the soil every few weeks or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Either option is acceptable, but understand that waterlilies have an insatiable appetite and you must keep them fertilized to enjoy the best display of their beautiful blooms.

Tip 2. It’s Always Sunny…. in your pond

That’s excellent news, it should be when it comes to waterlily care, or at least for the best blooming results. Six hours of direct sunlight is just as important to your waterlilies as being properly fed. Partial sunlight isn’t enough exposure for most waterlilies to produce flower after flower. Sure, your lily pads will be substantial in the shade, but the parade of blooming color you’ve been hoping for will indefinitely come up short.

If your pond is located in a shady location, you can find a few shade-tolerant waterlilies that will perform well with about four hours of sun exposure a day. Just keep in mind, your best bet is six hours or more.

Tip 3. Putting Down (Water Lilies) Roots 

Waterlilies have large, robust root systems, so a large container is necessary for optimal growth.

Try to plant your waterlily in a large container specifically designed for lilies. A hardy waterlily should be potted in at least a 10″ wide pot, but larger is preferable – such as the Aquatic Lily Planter by Aquascape that measures 14” in diameter.

Tip 4. Select “Super” Soil

Choosing the best soil for your lillies is crucial, since it’s where the roots will grow. With all plants, the health and success of growth starts with the soil.

It’s important to use aquatic potting soil to plant your waterlily, rather than regular potting soil. Aquatic soil adequately meets the demands of aquatic plants and is a better choice than regular potting soil.

Spread a one-inch layer of aquatic potting soil in the bottom of a large lily planter. If you’re using an annual fertilizer that you apply once only, now is the time to spread it across the top of this thin layer of soil. (Please only use the recommended amount of fertilizer shown on the packaging instructions).

Next, add another thin layer of aquatic potting soil atop the fertilizer. Remove the lily from its original garden center pot and set it atop the soil. Be sure to fill in the sides of the lily planter with additional pond plant soil. If you opted to use a plant tab-type fertilizer, you can add them now.  Adding river rocks or other small pebbles on top of the soil is recommended to keep the potting media from leaching out into the water.

Tip 5.Home Sweet Home 

It’s time to give your waterlily a home! Place your new green goddess into the pond. Check the planting depth on the tag that came with your waterlily and place it at the proper depth level. This will typically be the bottom of your pond, if it’s around two feet deep. You can also place the waterlily on a plant shelf if your pond is fairly deep. Again, it’s important to make sure that your lily will get at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.  Aquascape Aquatic Lily Planter are conveniently equipped with strong handles to easily lower the pot into the pond.

Following the above tips, and with proper sun and fertilizer, your waterlilies will produce bountiful blooms throughout the season. Please remember that water lilies thrive when their needs are fully met with all the proper conditions. Continue to fertilize them throughout the season, if you opted for a fertilizer tab. If you used an annual type fertilize, you won’t need to add it again until the next pond season.  Contact us for more information.

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