waterlilies

[andi_mn]

hi everyone. we are still trying so hard to have a bit of spring here in Minnesota. at least the snow is gone and the pond is running and the fish are out of the basement.  I got my gorgeous waterlilies from kat.  I  know this has been discussed before but am wondering what you all use to pot your lilies in, what media and what fertilizer?   I use dishpans for a pots and  have used plain garden dirt since I started but I think there might be something better. I get so many hair roots, not tons of blooms. (oh but when they bloom...)    this year I tried keeping a few in a sm. pond that I covered with boards and plastic and tons of leaves but they froze solid. gee, minus 27, I wonder why, . thanks and happy happy gardening.  andi

[Kat]

Glad you got your waterlilies 

I use regular old dark brown Texas dirt, Osmocote green cap fertilizer, & Vigoro 15-30-15 granular fertilizer.  Scatter the bottom of your dishpan covering about 1/3 of the pot with the fertilizer, add the dirt, add your plant, & cover the dirt with gravel but don't bury the crown of the water lily.  If I have a hardy that is being difficult, I'll switch over to a pot or even a basket with holes.  Cover the holes with newspaper or weed barrier cloth & plant (sandwich the fertilizer in the dirt though).

Good luck & hope your summer is a lot warmer     Maybe this fall you can bring your plants inside to your basement for overwintering?

[Rocmon]

I used to get much growth little bloom. I tried many fertilizer combos. The best thing I've found is some Osmocote veggie—14-14-14 in the bottom when potting, I also add several Pondtabbs. I re-fertilize a few months later with more Pondtabbs. The Osmocote makes the tubers grow, the Pondtabbs help them flower well.

I like to mix fine sand in with my soil so it's a 50/50 soil and sand mix.

[LouAnn]

I use plain old soil, mine is clay and sand, and fertilizer with a middle number of 30. Be sure to keep the fertilizer UNDER the dirt!