Author Topic: The experiment begins! And now the conclusion.. Drum roll please (Read 22625 times)

Vickie · « **Reply #150 on:** February 12, 2007, 08:31:57 PM »

How about your electric bill? I have 4 cow tank heaters going to help my fish here and I bet the bill goes higher than ever.

El Jefe · « **Reply #151 on:** February 13, 2007, 05:49:32 AM »

Sean,
no it will not help out my pond much but thanks for the thought. Looks like your pond stays pretty toasty all year long, bonus for the plants and the fish!

On another note the James Brydon plantlet that I removed when repotting......Well I told you that it sent out pilot leaves (submerged foliage) and I noticed this morning that it is sending pads to the surface as well (2 to be exact) already

gotta love that! Andy

Sean · « **Reply #152 on:** February 13, 2007, 07:52:07 AM »

Hi Vickie,

My heater runs me a couple hundred dollars each winter. Not a bad trade off when you think of the extremely rare collection of waterlilies I have. Just to replace one would cost around $150.00 when you figure in shipping, exchange and a phytosanitairy certificate.

Cheers,
Sean

SheilaJ · « **Reply #153 on:** February 13, 2007, 10:53:14 AM »

Sean, and they say "size doesn't matter"!

Referring to your heater, of course...

Sean · « **Reply #154 on:** February 14, 2007, 09:32:43 AM »

The company that made mine makes others that have multiple heating tubes for large ponds like Andy's.

Here is a link http://www.clepco.com/a_octipower.htm

I love my heater, I only wish the sun lasted all winter here in Vancouver. We have warm temps for the winter but it rains for about 4 months so the lilies still shrink back to small starts. This can be a good thing however since I am able to see everything that is growing and do some propagating and division in the early spring.

Cheers,
Sean

El Jefe · « **Reply #155 on:** February 16, 2007, 05:39:01 AM »

Well in case your wondering why I have gone quiet on this for the last few days it is because I am waiting to see what the bud on the 1st Colorado will look like that bud continued to move ever upward and as fast as it is moving it has me in anticipation...Like the song "
Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

The James Brydon cutting that I placed in a bowl in front of the Original (which I will affactionately call the JB2 Has really taken off I am pleasantly surprised that it is doing that well and is sending up shoots that quickly.

Lastly my Motherboard on my main Conputer died and I had to reorder another. Once it comes in I will have to rebuild my system. That will not take me long and I will get more pictures up........ Andy

Vickie · « **Reply #156 on:** February 17, 2007, 08:32:42 AM »

Sean I would trade $150 for what mine will cost just to keep fish alive. But they are our pets too and we love our koi and goldfish.

El Jefe · « **Reply #157 on:** February 17, 2007, 09:01:16 AM »

The Colorado #1 has sent a sepal (bud) to the surface (back left picture #1) looks like I will have a Lily bloom any Day now

hopefully my next picture is of a Colorado bloom! Joyce keep your fingers crossed

the second picture is of the tank, every lily purchased from Wal-Mart and the offspring have grown quickly and seem to be healthy. Heck I got two James Brydons for the price of one, can't complain about that!! I cannot wait to get them into the big pond where they will have room to stretch out. Which one needs to stay out of the direct afternoon sun? The Sioux or the JB? Thanks Andy

Sean · « **Reply #158 on:** February 17, 2007, 09:11:36 AM »

They are looking good Andy

The reds can burn in full sun so it would be the James Brydon that could use a bit of shading.

Cheers,
Sean

El Jefe · « **Reply #159 on:** February 17, 2007, 11:55:42 AM »

Here is another teachable moment..... My lemon mist hardy lilies out in the pond are still growing and they have flowers breaching the surface but they are not opening, Is it because it is to cold? (20-50 degrees) will they just drop to the bottom, no bloom? Teach me OBI WAN

Joyce · « **Reply #160 on:** February 17, 2007, 11:56:33 AM »

El Jefe, if it is blooming so easily, it HAS to be Colorado.

YAY for Colorado!

Marilyn C · « **Reply #161 on:** February 17, 2007, 12:49:32 PM »

I agree with Joyce and if the first bloom turns out to be a little lighter than normal...that is common for Colorado.

El Jefe · « **Reply #162 on:** February 17, 2007, 03:05:03 PM »

Good to know, I may have been a little dismayed if it looked like something else. Thanks for giving a heads up so I know what to expext. I promise pictures when an if it opens

El Jefe · « **Reply #163 on:** February 21, 2007, 05:10:31 PM »

Quote from: El Jefe on February 17, 2007, 11:55:42 AM

Here is another teachable moment..... My lemon mist hardy lilies out in the pond are still growing and they have flowers breaching the surface but they are not opening, Is it because it is to cold? (20-50 degrees) will they just drop to the bottom, no bloom? Teach me OBI WAN

Craig, Sean, Timgod, Joyce, Ester......somebody?

Sean · « **Reply #164 on:** February 21, 2007, 05:35:40 PM »

Hi Andy,

Yes to your question, flower buds will pull down and remain underwater until it warms up. If you are seeing lots of buds that are not breaching the surface then it is still too cold for them.

Cheers,
Sean

Joyce · « **Reply #165 on:** February 21, 2007, 07:35:41 PM »

Yup, what Sean said.
My Dauben bloomed underwater most of the time.

El Jefe · « **Reply #166 on:** February 23, 2007, 07:11:49 PM »

Well speaking of blooms we continue with our experiment..

I have been watching the bloom that made it's way to the top. Colorado #1 was the first to send up a bloom and now Colorado #2 (plant #3) is about to. Judging from the condition of that bloom it should open fully tomorrow or the next day. Joyce it is lighter than the pictures of other Colorado's I have seen. but here it is:

Sean · « **Reply #167 on:** February 23, 2007, 09:48:46 PM »

The pink edge of the sepals looks correct for me, as do the pads, I also had a few very pale blooms in the beginning with mine when I grew it many years ago.

Future blooms on yours should become more of a deeper peachy pink.

Cheer,
Sean

El Jefe · « **Reply #168 on:** February 24, 2007, 06:42:24 AM »

Check this out!! the first bloom from the Wal Mart lily.... The tank is starting to crowd up with pads but I am still hopeful that the James Brydon and the Sioux start sending up blooms as well!

Sean · « **Reply #169 on:** February 24, 2007, 06:53:01 AM »

It looks great Andy!

Although the bloom is pale I believe you have the real McCoy there.

If your pads get too thick for the other plants to send up any more pads, you can cut them back to the newest 5 floating pads each to open up some surface space.

Cheers,
Sean

Marilyn C · « **Reply #170 on:** February 24, 2007, 12:31:32 PM »

James Brydon may be a little slower to bloom than the others. One good thing, it is a distinctive looking lily, so when it blooms, you should know if you have the correct lily. Also the buds are very round shaped.

I finally got mine planted last week and they are doing well. My Iris laevigata looks terrific. I know it won't bloom this year, but maybe next.

El Jefe · « **Reply #171 on:** February 25, 2007, 06:18:30 PM »

So far so good on the JB, Pads are the right color and shape (so I am told) so I am looking forward to it's blossoming!

You will certianly see pictures when it happens. I even have a spot all picked out. It will only receive morning sun and will be shaded from the afternoon sun. Hopefully that will be the best blend and it will provide me with lots of blooms and little burn. Speaking of which, Assuming that the 4th lily is a Sioux should it be in full sun? Thanks Andy

Marilyn C · « **Reply #172 on:** February 25, 2007, 07:19:03 PM »

Sun won't hurt Sioux, and even if it isn't Sioux, if it has speckles on the back of the pads, it will be yellow or orange-y and the sun shouldn't bother it. I used to grow James Brydon in a mud bottomed pond...directly in the mud and it was in bloom most of the time, because it was able to stretch out and make a big clump, but in a pot it tends to bloom sporadically, but still enough to make it worthwhile. I don't recall it burning as much as some lilies, like Almost Black, which fries almost as soon as it opens here.

BTW, have you grown lilies in your mud bottomed pond before? Only reason I ask, crawfish can be a big problem in a warm climate. I see you have native fish in there, and that may keep them in check, but I had so much trouble with
them in mine. I don't like to use chemicals, and had to pump out all ponds and hand pick the crawfish each year.
Once a lily was established, they would pretty much leave it alone but every new lily that I would try to plant, they would defoliate overnight.

I don't grow lilies in ponds any more, because I can't get in and out of them like I used to. I did get in the pond a few weeks ago and got all of my koi out, and may get in one more time and plant a few lilies. I don't have as much trouble with crawfish here as I did at the old place.

El Jefe · « **Reply #173 on:** February 28, 2007, 05:52:15 PM »

I may well plant the JB directly in the bottom of the pond then. Hopefully that will encourage it further is it a big spreader? trying not to give any one lily the run of the pond if you will..... Crayfish? well the natives keep them to a minimum, between the Bass and the catfish not sure they stand a real good chance for very long anyway

Marilyn C · « **Reply #174 on:** February 28, 2007, 06:23:19 PM »

No, it is very moderate in growth. At least compared to most hardies. I had it in the pond for about 3 years, and then
my daughter got Easter ducks.

Grandma and Daddy came home with several of those little dyed pink, green and blue ducks...who grew up to have a voracious appetite for waterlilies.

El Jefe · « **Reply #175 on:** March 09, 2007, 05:38:08 PM »

So I walk out and look at my tank and look at my lillies, Algae has swamped it almost overnight so I decided to clean it out. what happens?? I broke the heater, man am I upset. now those lilies are in cooler water. Do not know what to expect now.

not happy

Rocmon · « **Reply #176 on:** March 10, 2007, 08:44:34 AM »

Bummer! Guess you'll see what happens with a late cold snap. I wouldn't expect it to set them back to much—my Colorado still has pads floating through last winter. We even had record cold this year, ice chunks in lotus pots for over a week...

With all those pads it looks like it may be tough sorting them all out to put them in the pond?

El Jefe · « **Reply #177 on:** March 10, 2007, 07:24:56 PM »

Well I cleaned the tank and separated out the dead or dying lily pads. They seem to be doing okay. I moved the smallest James brydon out into the shallows of the pond I will eventually plant it into the bottom of the pond that area is shaded most of the day, some morning sun some late day sun so I am hoping they will thrive. If it looks like it is going to stay fairly warm I may move them all out and see what we get.

Andy

El Jefe · « **Reply #178 on:** March 16, 2007, 06:24:46 PM »

Well tomorrow is the day

I will be moving the 4 Wal Mart lilies from the artificial light to light of day Moving th experiment outside

happyoutsidegirl · « **Reply #179 on:** March 17, 2007, 03:57:05 AM »

Good luck andy, keep us posted!