Did you ever have a lily that you just weren't thrilled with?

[Lynne22]

I don't know, but I am so underwhelmed with one of my lilies.  (don't want to mention the name) But it has tiny buds, flimsy pads, and rarely blooms. When it does bloom, it opens at like 5:00 Am, closed by noon. And once it opens the outer petals shrivel and never cover the bud again. They last 3 days. So I started wondering if others had ever gotten a lily they didn't really like? 

I mean, all lilies are beautiful in their own way, but just curious if you eliminated any for something better?

[SueSTx]

   I have had a thought or two of tossing a small red bloomer... but it has not one but two buds up this morning.  It might have bought itself another chance.

[Zoe]

Yes I did! But after I followed Kat's advice it has redeemed itself.

[Lynne22]

  I have had a thought or two of tossing a small red bloomer... but it has not one but two buds up this morning.  It might have bought itself another chance.

LOL, well, these had better get with the program or they will be gone....it's a pink, and I don't really love pinks, but thought it would round out the color spectrum for me. But, I am in LOVE with the trickett, and the lemon mist. Love them.  I might try another tropical next year too.

[Lynne22]

Yes I did! But after I followed Kat's advice it has redeemed itself.

What was the issue? Kat has beautiful lilies, so I would follow any advice she gives. 

[luvmypond]

When I started my pond, all I could find where mostly white lilies.  Not happy with mostly white, but I have added a few different colored ones that friends have sent me.  I mainly like the pads, they make great shade.

[Zoe]

Lynne

My Miami Rose had thin stems and very small pads. It had only bloomed maybe twice.  I potted it up and used her advice on fertilizing and it has been blooming and the pads and stems are not so fragile anymore.


Cindy

[Lynne22]

When I started my pond, all I could find where mostly white lilies.  Not happy with mostly white, but I have added a few different colored ones that friends have sent me.  I mainly like the pads, they make great shade.

That's the one thing I like about the white hardies, their pads. They are always abundant. I don't so much mind mine, because when they have been fed, they have big beautiful blooms.

[Lynne22]

Lynne

My Miami Rose had thin stems and very small pads. It had only bloomed maybe twice.  I potted it up and used her advice on fertilizing and it has been blooming and the pads and stems are not so fragile anymore.


Cindy

My only concern for these is that they are in planters and if I fertilize at the rate they say per gallon of soil, the pads and planter would be saturated with phosphate, which I am almost positive is the white residue on the pads. I'm just not sure how that would affect them and can't seem to find an answer to that question. I have fertilized them bi weekly, with a tab each time though, so there should be enough to keep them going. I think....but maybe that's the issue. 

[frogman3]

I've not been to thrilled with Sioux. I have had it for several years in my biggest pond. I grows a small spread but dense mat of small pads and  few blooms but as soon as I threatened to toss it on the scrap heap it sent up four blooms at once and has continued with mutiple blooms starting the first week of July this year. Still I plan on moving it to a smaller pond next year, it just looks lost next to the larger lilies.

[Mike S.]

I tend to appreciate each plant for what it is, without comparing it to others. Doing this I'm seldom disappointed. Occasionally there will be one that I'm less than thrilled with, but that often comes from my trying to grow something that is inappropriate for my area.

Recent experience has taught me that over time, at least some waterlilies can be acclimated to tolerate conditions outside their usual ranges.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

[SueSTx]

   I didn't toss it...I waited

[Sean]

My only concern for these is that they are in planters and if I fertilize at the rate they say per gallon of soil, the pads and planter would be saturated with phosphate, which I am almost positive is the white residue on the pads. I'm just not sure how that would affect them and can't seem to find an answer to that question. I have fertilized them bi weekly, with a tab each time though, so there should be enough to keep them going. I think....but maybe that's the issue. 

Hi Lynn,

You have over fertilized which burns the roots. That is why it is not performing well.
You would be best to repot with fresh soil and add some slow release fertilizer in a formulation like 10-30-20.

Cheers,
Sean

[Lynne22]

Hi Sean, the directions call for 1 tab per gallon of soil, 2 times a month when the water is over 70 degrees, which it is. They are 18 qt. dishpans, so I wouldn't think that 1 tab every 2 weeks would burn them? Do you think it is? If I did what they say, there would be 4 tabs in there every 2 weeks.  I hope I didn't confuse everyone, LOL....

[unprofessional]

You need to post the name of the lily, as others can help you with growth pattern and tips.  Some lilies take more time than others to really shine, or have certain requirements to make them look their best.  One lily that is a bit unique is Georgia Peach.  It starts very late, and is exceptionally leafy, which could lead a person to think it's not a good performer, but once it starts blossoming, it puts up tons of buds, and doesn't slow down - it just grows in a different way from many other lilies.

[Sean]

Hi Sean, the directions call for 1 tab per gallon of soil, 2 times a month when the water is over 70 degrees, which it is. They are 18 qt. dishpans, so I wouldn't think that 1 tab every 2 weeks would burn them? Do you think it is? If I did what they say, there would be 4 tabs in there every 2 weeks.  I hope I didn't confuse everyone, LOL....

If it has not responded to fertilizer yet, I would hold back. You are correct, that would be a good amount for your size pot but if the lily is not responding to the fertilizer yet by leafing out and blooming, it has too much already. Give it a break from more fertilizer and just see if the plant will catch up. I still feel that your plant has suffered fertilizer burn to the roots. Leave it be for a month and see what happens.

Cheers,
Sean

[Mike S.]

Lynn,

Could you post a close-up of one of the pads with this white residue? I'm wondering if it is what you think it is.

I've seen this lately on quite a few of my plants, but really don't think it is from the fertilizer. When I saw it on mine, my first thought was aphids. Some of it was, but some looked like a very fine, white sand material. Haven't done it yet, but my next step will be to take a sample and put it under the microscope.

What I kind of suspect at the moment is, if your water is a hard as my well water, that it may be a residue from evaporative water loss. The same sort of "scale" that can show up on glasses in the dishwasher.

I've not heard of something like this being due to over-fertilization. I'd think before that happened, the roots would have been fried and the plant killed.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

[ThornyGardener]

How about fickle? I thought Attraction was the greatest lily ever. My Best Lily Forever bloomed non-stop -- half dozen blooms at a time. I even considered just getting rid of all others and keeping this one. This summer Sunny Pink and Colorado took off producing 4-5 HUGE blooms (more than 10") a day. The Attraction blooms now look so... inadequate. It isn't blooming as often either because Sunny Pink is encroaching on it's real estate, or it's suffering from low self-esteem hearing me acclaim its flashy neighbors as my new BLFs. I'm thinking of rehoming it. Who knows who will be my BLF next summer, though.

[Mike S.]

I got confused and thought the pic posted by Sue was a picture of Lynn's, and I noticed a pad just below the 3 o'clock postition that looked like it had some of the residue Lynn posted about. I now know I was wrong about the pic and who posted it.

But, will still under that delusion, I went out and found a few pads that had something on them that looked like what I saw in the picture and took a sample of it. Under the microscope, at all three magnifications (40X, 100X, and 400X,) the sample looked the same, like rather non-descript little grains of sand. Not actually like real crystal formations, just irregular shapes, and definitely NO legs!

My well water is typical for the area I live in. It is hard, about 330 ppm, last time I tested it. Hard enough to leave a white coating on glass, not quite hard enough to plow.

In my case, anyway, I'm pretty sure that the residue that worried me a while back was nothing more that what was left of water sitting on the pads, after it had evaporated.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

[Lynne22]

You need to post the name of the lily, as others can help you with growth pattern and tips.  Some lilies take more time than others to really shine, or have certain requirements to make them look their best.  One lily that is a bit unique is Georgia Peach.  It starts very late, and is exceptionally leafy, which could lead a person to think it's not a good performer, but once it starts blossoming, it puts up tons of buds, and doesn't slow down - it just grows in a different way from many other lilies.

I really didn't want t post the name of it, because I don't want to cause anyone else to not choose it, because I don't think I like it, or it doesn't perform well. Know what I mean? I do know that others have talked about it, and they like it, so I don't want to offend anyone either. 

[Lynne22]

Hi Sean, the directions call for 1 tab per gallon of soil, 2 times a month when the water is over 70 degrees, which it is. They are 18 qt. dishpans, so I wouldn't think that 1 tab every 2 weeks would burn them? Do you think it is? If I did what they say, there would be 4 tabs in there every 2 weeks.  I hope I didn't confuse everyone, LOL....

If it has not responded to fertilizer yet, I would hold back. You are correct, that would be a good amount for your size pot but if the lily is not responding to the fertilizer yet by leafing out and blooming, it has too much already. Give it a break from more fertilizer and just see if the plant will catch up. I still feel that your plant has suffered fertilizer burn to the roots. Leave it be for a month and see what happens.

Cheers,
Sean

Ok Sean, I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[Lynne22]

Lynn,

Could you post a close-up of one of the pads with this white residue? I'm wondering if it is what you think it is.

I've seen this lately on quite a few of my plants, but really don't think it is from the fertilizer. When I saw it on mine, my first thought was aphids. Some of it was, but some looked like a very fine, white sand material. Haven't done it yet, but my next step will be to take a sample and put it under the microscope.

What I kind of suspect at the moment is, if your water is a hard as my well water, that it may be a residue from evaporative water loss. The same sort of "scale" that can show up on glasses in the dishwasher.

I've not heard of something like this being due to over-fertilization. I'd think before that happened, the roots would have been fried and the plant killed.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

Hi Mike, it's raining right now, but it looks like a salt/mineral deposit, like you would see if salt water dried. of course it's not salt, but could be mineral I guess. It could be from hard water, but it's very abundant a day or 2 after I have fed them. I talked to Pondcare yesterday, and they said they think it's just minerals. I don't know if I buy that....



It doesn't seem to harm them though, so really it's not a big deal, I'd just like to know for sure.

[Lynne22]

How about fickle? I thought Attraction was the greatest lily ever. My Best Lily Forever bloomed non-stop -- half dozen blooms at a time. I even considered just getting rid of all others and keeping this one. This summer Sunny Pink and Colorado took off producing 4-5 HUGE blooms (more than 10") a day. The Attraction blooms now look so... inadequate. It isn't blooming as often either because Sunny Pink is encroaching on it's real estate, or it's suffering from low self-esteem hearing me acclaim its flashy neighbors as my new BLFs. I'm thinking of rehoming it. Who knows who will be my BLF next summer, though.

LOL, you gave it a complex.  Get it some counseling. 

[SueSTx]

@Mike... I have noticed the white residue on some of my pads, and I feel that it is from evaporation.  We do have hard water and I loose up to 1/2" a day in the still tanks.

[LeeAnne151]

I have ripped out and gave away or composted more plants than I could remember. What does well for you may not do well for me and vice versa. We all have very different climates and pond/garden conditions.  Several of the Clematis I gave a friend are doing ten times as well for her as me. Her yard has no tree roots and much better drainage.

There is nothing wrong with getting rid of a non performing plant for whatever reason. They aren't pets or children that it would be wrong to get rid of.....Not that I care but no one is going to be offended if a waterlily or other plant they like isn't liked by you. Surprised maybe but not offended.