Excited for the Springtime!

[MitchM]

Thank you!
Being the age I am I can enter a second childhood which also allows me to live vicariously in a fantasy world and nobody pays much attention. Within the confines of my converted swimming pool, I have created the "River Supply Company" a small nondescript outfit that works on the southern rivers. They have a small shop, a gas pump, local denizens that just hang out, bait, beer, and gossip. (Think "Bubba" with a meaningful job!) The towboat "Nonesuch" was scratch built without plans, as was the dock and barge, just an idea of what I wanted to do and just kept adding to it. This type of outfit would service the "Line Boats" with fuel, grocery's, crew changes, and supplies as the line boat went through their area. (Think of a pickup servicing an eighteen-wheeler on the run so the big truck never had to stop.)
The outfit would also pull snags from the river, work on riverside structures, and move farmer's livestock to another grazing area across the river far cheaper than a truck could.
Now that I've told you far more than you wanted to know, We'll pretend these are spring photo's of the RSC docks.
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I'm part way through building a Chriscraft boat RC model myself.
I hope to run it on my pond one day as well.

 

[addy1]

First lily leaves hitting the surface

 

[cas]

First lily leaves hitting the surface

Holy cow. How warm is your water? How deep is that lily planted?

 

[addy1]

I have not pulled them out of where I sank them i.e. around 2.5 feet deep. I need to get my behind in gear and divide, move.
The pond water is 54, today, The ponds had ice on them Monday.

 

[cas]

You really must have a green thumb when it comes to water lilies @addy1 . My pond is 50 degrees and my lilies are about 2 feet deep and not a leaf on them!

 

[Lisak1]

@cas I think it's just been a bit warmer in general where @addy1 is - she was already working in her bog thinning irises. Mine haven't even started yet. But I did notice a few leaves starting on my lilies that are closer to the surface!

 

[addy1]

We are almost the same zone too. It might help that my pond is all day full sun. They always get kitty litter, new every other year or so and a healthy dose of osmocote below the litter. It has been raining all day, I took a quick look, most of them have leaves going.

I groom them hard in the fall, decrease all the excess tubers, when I feel like it lol. I have two pots that must be all roots they float without a rock on them, so they will get divided. Seems like the rock falls off all the time, I find them floating upside down. Not too good for growth lol.

 

[cas]

My pond is in full sun also. Just started using the kitty litter last summer. Good to know that you replace the kitty litter every other year. I wouldn't have known to do that. I use the fertilizer tabs and have to pull them lilies up every month. I may try the osmocote. How much do you use?

 

[addy1]

My pond is in full sun also. Just started using the kitty litter last summer. Good to know that you replace the kitty litter every other year. I wouldn't have known to do that. I use the fertilizer tabs and have to pull them lilies up every month. I may try the osmocote. How much do you use?

The lilies that grow fast replace the litter with roots and tubers then grow out of the oil pan. When I divide I just rinse the roots and tubers well, cut off old dead looking roots, pull tubers apart if they need dividing. I don't rinse every bit of the litter out. If the plant is behaving i.e. a slow grower I don't replace.

The osmocote, if replacing the litter, dividing I put 1/4 cup in the oil pan before I put the litter in. If not dividing I wrap up some osmocote in paper towels lift the plant and put it below the litter, it usually lifts out in one clump. The paper towel keeps it from floating away.

It is not a hard fast rule to replace every or every other year it all depends on how the plant looks. I have a few that really grow fast, they could use dividing every year. I let them out grow their pots then get to it the next year. Sometimes I yank tubers off during the growing season if they are getting to big.

I have some plant tabs, seldom use them, bought around 4 years ago. If a lily is "struggling" I will stick in a tab or two when grooming them.

My wanvisa, slow grower, was a floating pita last summer, even though it has not out grown the pot I think it has replaced all the litter with roots. I am going to attack it as soon as I start. Love that lily neat colors.