Ideal size pots for tropical lilies?

[SheilaJ]

How much does the pot size affect the leaf spread and flower size and frequency of a tropical, in particular 'Leopardess' or the 'Leopardess' imposter that Sean believes I have?

I've tried it in a pot around 10-12" and in a 6" pot. Not sure if the smaller flowers are due to pot size or the fact that the lilies just haven't had enough time to grow since being divided. It also seems that they are making more crowns in the smaller pots (because it stresses them a bit?).

I'm trying to decide on a tradeoff between reducing surface area of leaves and having large and frequent flowers.

[JoshS]

Bigger Pot = Bigger Plant = Bigger & More Flowers

It's all directly related.

You can grow a decent sized plant in a 10"-12" pot, but most tropicals need a larger pot to reach their potential.  I grow my display plants in 16"x7" tubs.  The leaf spread on these can easily reach 6' across with multiple flowers most days.

Don't forget the fertilizer.  It's hard to over fertilize an actively growing tropical lily.

[CoolShades]

Actually as you crowd the roots you get more tuber formation, so growers usually use 4" pots until I heard about Seans dixie cups!!!  But you observed what happens when you go small .

Gary

[Joyce]

I agree with Josh...
The pot doesn't have to be very deep at all, but, the the wider, the better blooms, at least in my experience.

[Craig]

My two cents?  If you have a long growing season.....go for pots with holes!  I use standard 2 qt. nursery pots( read cheap, cheap, cheap) but the roots escape so the width/depth ratio isn't much of an issue and you don't have losses from decomposing roots.

[PondmaninAL]

I'm with Craig on this one. I use the regular black nursery pots with holes for all my plants, except lotus. The roots come through the holes and the holes help the roots and bacteria to breath. The marginal plants that I use in the plant filter have their roots coming out through the holes and down through a wire shelf. The waste gets caught in the roots and the plants get their food.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[Marilyn C]

I also use regular black nursery pots with holes for the tropicals.  I put a folded piece of newspaper in the bottom when I am planting.  It helps contain the soil for a little while, and the roots grow out of the holes.

[Vickie]

I use whatever I can scrounge up. Nursery pots, bowls from Dollar General anything. I have 9 water gardens and still run out of room for my lilies. I also want tubers so I enjoy the smaller plants which take up less room and I get tubers.

[SheilaJ]

I've used all different types of pots too - water garden ones with holes or without, nursery pots lined with landscape fabric - any port (or should I say pot?  ) in a storm!

What I really need is an ideal pot SIZE for those of us growing up north. My lilies are outdoors from June 1 to sometime in October, maybe November if I get lazy or busy! Thanks.