11 replies to this topic

[newday3000]

I've had the first bloom of a lily in my new pond and it's been opening and closing for 5 days now.

How long will a single bloom last? All summer?

How many blooms can 1 lily have at once?

I read that putting 4 fertilzer pellets per lily pot for best growth. I've used 2 per month.

Does anyone use 4 per month?

[Quantum673]

My Lily has 4 blooms on it currently. It seems though that mine only seem to last a few days though then they go back under water and don't seem to come back up.

[koiguy1969]

5 days...your doing well.. dont expect them to go much past that, cut them off as soon as they go under, theyre dead and will decompose in the pond.

[newday3000]

Thanks, I had no clue. The same plant has another bloom ready to go at the surface already. Working from home, I stare at my pond in the backyard all day. So I've been able to watch it bloom everyday and close at night. Cool plant.

[Quantum673]

Yeah I have been cutting them off once they go back under. The first one of the year I let it go a couple days begore I cut it off to make sure it would not resurface but now after about 3 days of blooming they seem to go under and I cut them off at the base. The good thing is that atleast now it seems I keep blooms coming up so I have a steady stream of blooms.

[Robyn]

If you leave them uncut and tie muslin around them... supposedly they will go to seed and you can plant the seeds for more plants. This is especially good with the hardy varieties that are not viviparous.

As I just bought my 2 lilies at Lowe's for less than $5 each on July 4th... I have no blooms yet. I just repotted them yesterday. i DO have lots of new pads growing though!

I have one red and one yellow. Each has 4 full pads that made it through transplant and 4 or 5 emerging pads. Pads are only about 3 inches across... but then, so was the pot they were in to begin with! Now they are in 12" pots and look to be quite happy if color and new growth are any signs!

Think hardies that are very small have any chance of blooming this year? Or do I look forward to next year?

[Airic]

Mine only lasted 2 days but got another ready to open. I'm amazed on how fast they have been growing. My one from Lowes has not bloomed yet but it is the biggest one I have. At first I had it in to much shade but when I brought it out in the sun it took off.

[Quantum673]

Robyn - I would guess that there is a chance to get a bloom before the end of summer. There is still a lot of warm weather to get the plant growing quickly.

[lovinglife]

I don't use the pellets, I use evergreen tree spikes which I break into smaller chunks and poke into the dirt. I have never had any issues with water quality and they have never bothered my fish as they keep stocking my pond with babies.

[Oldhead]

koiguy1969 said:

5 days...your doing well.. dont expect them to go much past that, cut them off as soon as they go under, theyre dead and will decompose in the pond.

haha I was just gonna make a thread about this to see if anyone cuts them after they sink. I did on the 1st bloom and now have to cut the 2nd. The third one just opened today.

[Olee]

Do you cut it at the base or at the bloom itself?

[koiguy1969]

as close to the base as possible.