Growing and blooming water lilies

[Joshaeus]

Hello all! I have had mediocre success with water lilies the past two years...they make some pads, but not very many, and they never bloom. I wanted to get your thoughts on my plans for next year's water liles; I am going to plant them in a 5 gallon shallow storage bin with organic potting soil (not mix) and gravel. I will put the water lilies out as soon as the water is staying liquid (is that too early?) and fertilize every month with 1-2 water lily root tabs. They will be getting 5-6 hrs of sun. Does this sound like a recipe for growing and blooming hardy water lilies? Any changes for tropical water lilies (beyond putting them out later)? Thanks

 

[sissy]

Gosh mine are bare root and in their own pond and I just throw in some miracle grow every month .I get lots of flowers and even got one with all the rain we have had and no sunshine .I don't fuss over them .Are they in the pond or in a container .I can't keep mine in the pond the koi destroy them

 

[Joshaeus]

Next year's water lily is going to be planted in a container in a 40 gallon container pond; up to this point they have been in smaller containers in 20 gallon ponds. I have never had fish large enough to destroy plants.

 

[sissy]

right now I am growing lotus and had potting soil that was meant for pond plants but they look like they are not doing good in it and the bare roots ones are doing great
I got 40 mixed seeds for 1.79 off ebay and figured try them and so far only used 15 seeds and all are growing

 

[Linus_Cello]

What varieties are you growing? Some need more sun. Some can tolerate part sun (eg some marliac hybrids)

 

[Joshaeus]

I have tried to grow Dauben (which simply rotted), Perry's baby red, and a yellow one (forget what kind it was)