Pondtabbs and other fertilizers for waterlilies

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Please, can someone give me an advice how to use Pondtabbs?
I bought them online and the site where I ordered said 'one tablet per gallon of soil', but now they arrived and the 'directions of use' on the Pondtabbs container say 'one tablet per three gallons of soil'. Do I need to divide the tablets? One of my waterlilies is planted in one-gallon container.
I used Jobe's tomato spikes before, but when I wanted to feed my plants again one month later, I found out the previous spikes haven't dissolved at all.
Also, do I add the fertilizer to the soil during planting and how much? I just bought some more waterlilies in Lowes, they are already in water and growing, these will go into 2-gallon rectangle containers (5'' high) from Dollar store.

Thanks in advance for your advice! I don't want to burn my waterlilies, but I don't want them to starve either :)
 

addy1

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Welcome to our group!
I don't worry about it, I stick one tab in per lily. Sometimes two tabs, mine are around 1 inch in size. The lilies will use up the fertilizer.
 
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A well planted pond can deplete fertility in a pond in just two weeks during the warm months, adding a little often keeps a steady level of light fertility that plants like, erratic fertility levels of too much and too little will result in erratic growth of the heavy feeders like waterlilies

Watching for when yellowing begins to show up might be a good indicator when to feed your favorites

An old adage is that it is easier to build fertility levels up, than reduce them when they are over loaded....
 
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Thanks for the answers!
I am in zone 5a, got my waterlilies 9 weeks ago (online order), planted them right away. They all had leaves (1-4) when I got them, but then the leaves got old and died away, and the lilies didn't replace them. They grew some tiny leaves maybe 1/2 inch from their crowns. It was around 50F during April. First lily pad reaching the water level was Lemon Mist 3 weeks ago (6 weeks after being planted), she got 4 more since then, but they are not big - no more than 2'' diameter. Hermine got her first pad (also very small) on surface two days ago, and I have two more lilies from this order (Perry Baby Red and Colorado) still not actively growing. Is it (slow growing pace) normal or do I do something wrong?
I got more waterlilies in Lowes one week ago, just dropped them in water and they already beat their online cousins - one (James Brydon) already has 5 pads, the other (Chromatella) has three. I still need to plant them, hope I won't mess them up.
My water garden is not much, just 2' diameter 14'' high containers. I keep the water low now, around 6'' above the lilies crowns, I'll fill the tubs all the way up when the lilies are more active... hope they will soon.
Thanks again.
 

addy1

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Some take time to get going. Mine are behind this year. They started out great, then the rain and cold (20 some days) came which slowed them down.

Keep them shallow, warm, full sun and they will take off.

BTW colorado it a big lily, i.e. takes up a 4 - 5 ft dia area if not more, puts up multiple blooms at a time, real pretty pink.
 

Smaug

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I'd often thought it counterproductive to add a fertilizer to something that I wish to remove nutrients. My lilys never did well until they got knocked out of the pots, then they went crazy!
 

morewater

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fertilizer spikes.jpg
 
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My lillies do fantastic in pots. After removing my gravel they needed something to root to. Colorado is phenomenal. It is a nonstop bloomer. Mine looks more peach than pink. Give it time. I fertilize with 2 tabs if it’s a large lily. But it probably doesn’t even need that.
 
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I am still around :) Clicked on it and didn't have an idea I was the OP until I rolled up.
My original Colorado isn't around anymore, though. From my original waterlilies I started with 5 years ago, only Chromatella (bought in Lowes and I am sure it's Chromatella), Hermine & Perry's Baby Red (bought online, but not sure it's really Hermine and Perry's Baby R.) survived hard freeze in 2018/19 when my stock tank heater failed. I bought new Colorado this spring.
Here is my (supposed) Hermine and Perry's Baby Red.
 

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My old Chromatella and my new Colorado...
And, to stay on the original topic - I still use Pondtabbs, and I don't overthink it anymore, sometimes I use one tab, sometimes two, and my waterlilies never complained.
 

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addy1

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I just toss in osmocote in the bottom of the oil pan, one time. Usually in the fall when cutting back the growth.
 

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