How deep should I plant my lily?

[J and T]

I have put a new water lily in my pond, and the instructions say to make sure the base of the pot is 12"-18" deep. I put it on my lower ledge which is about 14", but the lily pads don't even reach the surface of the water. Is it okay to leave it this deep, and will the plant just grow to reach the surface? And, what about the actual flower part...will it shoot up to the surface from this kind of depth? Or should I just leave it on my higher ledge so the pads actually float?

Thanks

 

[koiguy1969]

they will hit the surface in a few days... leave it where it is if you like. i put mine even deeper when they hit surface so when i put them back on the shelf they have a bigger spread.

 

[J and T]

What about the flower part though? Will it shoot to the surface too?

 

[koiguy1969]

yep as long as it hasnt opened

 

[DrCase]

All mine are in 2 ft of water..that way in the winter i dont have to do any thing..

 

[lovinglife]

Mine are two feet or deeper, they do great.

 

[J and T]

Cool, I moved it deeper. Thanks guys and gals.

 

[newbieincalifornia]

This is my first year too I was told it would help to place my lilly's on the ledge let them hit the surface and then sink them lower that way they grow faster... IDK how much of it is true but as soon as I put it on the ledge it shot out a bunch of leaves and they started hitting the surface!

 

[oldmarine]

The local pond guy near me here in Tacoma, (Jack Luce the owner of "Oaktree Water Gardens") assured me that it doesn't matter what depth you plant your water lillies at as long as they are on the bottom from 1.5 feet to 3 feet.

Your water lillies will do the rest. Water lillies are genetically programed to grow to the surface of the water, and do what they do best. Bloom.

 

[chilligirl]

Is there a maximum depth? My deep shelf, a step above the bottom of the pond, is about 4' deep. The water is really clear (new pond), so I'm thinking it should be fine and get enough light to grow to the surface?

 

[oldmarine]

Jack (my local pond guy), informed me that typically you won't find any kind of wild water lilly growing in lakes or marshes any deeper than four feet. From what I have read about water lilly care and planting, planted water lillies four feet deep is the recommended maximum depth.

 

[DrDave]

I have some larger ones at 30" and smaller ones at 18".

 

[Koillector]

Glad I read this. I just planted some and thought maybe I had the wrong depth.

 

[koiguy1969]

if your interested.. i put my lillies on their shelve till the pads hit the surface then move them to the bottom when pads hit the surface again i move them back to the shelve the extra length in stem gives them a bigger spread.