What You need to Plant Hardy Water Lilies

ONE GALLON SQUAT POT

THREE GALLON SQUAT POT

FIVE GALLON SQUAT POT

FERTILIZER TABS

BE SURE THE SOIL IS VERY WET TO MAKE IT EASIER TO PLANT YOUR LILIES

Text Box: For all waterplants we suggest pots without holes. If there are any holes in the pots you are going to use, then you should put something like a heavy trash bag liners. The reason being, with holes, whatever planting media you are going to use may leech out into the pond and the roots of the lilies can travel through the holes. Although some of the media may still make its way into the water, the chances are less likely with containers that have no holes. Another reason, is the fertilizer you will use to feed the lilies can leech out and give the algae more food so it can grow faster. We use what are called aquatic squat pots to plant the lilies that we grow in containers. They are specifically for water lilies. They are short and wide at the top. If you can’t find the aquatic squat pots, you could use any type of container that is shallow measuring anywhere from 7-9 inches deep and a circumference at the top of at least 12 inches or wider. Of course, the size of the lily will help determine what size container you will need. You can also use plastic containers like the ones used for washing dishes, square or round is fine, they work great for most of the small to medium lilies. Once you decide what container you’re going to use, you will need some planting media. The best is plain old soil from your yard. Be sure there are no pesticides or harmful chemicals in the soil. If the soil is too sandy or rocky in your area be sure to fertilize more often since there is no nutrition in this type of soil and also it can leach out of the pot easier if the container has holes. Or you can try using a good aquatic soil. There are quite a few on the market these days; although, they can be a little pricey. Keep in mind if you do use aquatic soil, be sure to give your lilies plenty of fertilizer as this type of media may not have enough nutrients, if any at all. Many people ask us about kitty litter but we don’t suggest using it, as most times the main ingredient is Bentonite and can become quite hard once wet. We do have customers that tell us they use it and have success; however, we have not found it to be good for planting the lilies or any other water plant. We found the plants did not reach their full potential using kitty litter. Before planting your hardy lily, put about 2 inches of dirt in the container you decide to use. Then, place your fertilizer at this level. We use tabs here on our farm when planting the lilies in a pot. You place the tabs in a circle around the container. Then you place the rest of the soil on top of the fertilizer. Soak the container in water overnight so it will be easier to plant your lily. If you're using fertilizer spikes, follow the manufactures instructions. Be sure to feed your water lilies enough as they need plenty of food during the growing season. Depending on the type of fertilizer you are using you may have to feed every month. Do not feed your lilies during the dormant season, they need to rest!!!

HOW TO PLACE YOUR FERTILIZER TABS