A question about timing for cutting back water lilies?

[Mmathis]

Mine are still nice & green, putting out pads (though slowing down), and one even has a bloom opening. Our air temps are fluctuating between 80's to high 60's and water temp. is in the 70's [I haven't checked it in the last week, though but I can tell the fish are slowing down.....].

So, when do I know it's the right time to trim & lower the lilies? Now is probably the best time, temp-wise, because I don't have waders, and will have to get into the pond bare-legged! But I'm afraid if I wait for the plants to show signs of die-off, the water will be toooooo cold. Would it hurt them to get trimmed & lowered when they're still putting out new growth?

@minnowman @adavisus @addy1 @fishin4cars

 

[dieselplower]

I dont think it will hurt them but I do think they will send up new growth.

 

[Mmathis]

I dont think it will hurt them but I do think they will send up new growth.

I assume that the new growth will simply die off, then, but without harming the plant?

 

[dieselplower]

yeah that's what I would imagine. the problem there would simply be that it will add to the decomposing organic material in the pond.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Our air temps are fluctuating between 80's to high 60's and water temp. is in the 70's

It sounds so funny to me since those temps are my normal summer temps.

 

[addy1]

TM you probably do not need to lower your lilies. I doubt your water freezes any or if it does it is just inches. The only reason to lower them is to protect the tuber from freezing if you get a thick layer of ice on your pond.

I would groom old yellow leaves off leave the green and buds yours might bloom all winter, might.............

 

[minnowman]

Tropicals may or may not survive the Winter outdoors. I bring mine into a greenhouse. When it starts warming up in late Winter they will appreciate being repotted and moved to shallow water in a sunny location.

 

[addy1]

^^^^ I should have said hardies............above that is all I have.

 

[Mmathis]

Ooops! I should have specified that these are hardy lilies!

 

[fishin4cars]

I move all mine to water that is at least 18" deep. They have already been there now for a couple of weeks, Some of them are still putting out flowers. Most of the Tropicals are dying back but still producing a few leaves and flowers, The hardies have stopped growing for the most part but several leaves on each plant is still healthy looking. I haven't moved the lilies from the container pots yet but probably will do that this weekend while I'm in the ponds. Last round in the ponds this year before winter.

 

[j.w]

Mine are always sitting on their shelf that is 18" deep and I only pull out the dead brown/yellow pads and leave the rest to do there thing. So a few die and fall on the floor. No biggy! My fish like to nibble on the decaying ones and so do tiny pond snails.

 

[addy1]

I left a few sitting in the tiny preform, one in the deck pond which is around 18 inches deep, we had a cold winter last year they all survived. I think the deepest our pond ice has gotten is around 10 inches. The deck pond the small preforms, no clue if they freeze deeper, we were not here to see.

 

[j.w]

Yep they don't call them hardy for nothing