Im done with water lilies

[Jersey_Marine]

Well Im officially done with buying water lillies ever again. I spend 40 bucks each on 2 lilies and my Koi ate them in less than a day. Second year in a row they did this. Im assuming because my Koi are large (9-10lbs each). I need some advice on something else similar i can use that they wont mess with. Any suggestions?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Well Im officially done with buying water lillies ever again. I spend 40 bucks each on 2 lilies and my Koi ate them in less than a day. Second year in a row they did this. Im assuming because my Koi are large (9-10lbs each). I need some advice on something else similar i can use that they wont mess with. Any suggestions?

Euryale ferox.

 

[Jersey_Marine]

Euryale ferox.

Thank you...I was just doing some research on the Euryale Ferox because Ive never heard of it before. I see the entire plant has prickers on them. Will these harm my fish or do they just keep the fish away from them? Where can I purchase these? I havent had much luck finding established plants online. Only seeds. Please cite some pros and cons of the Euryale Ferox please if you can. Thank you again very much

 

[oneofakindcritter]

I have 4 water lilies in my pond & also have large KOI. I plant them in clay cat litter and place granite rocks ontop of that and they leave them alone.

 

[Jersey_Marine]

I have 4 water lilies in my pond & also have large KOI. I plant them in clay cat litter and place granite rocks ontop of that and they leave them alone.

Im hesitant to buy more to attempt it. I spend about 45 bucks a peice on the 2...2 years in a row and the same thing. Its alot of wasted money. Even if i cover the tubers with heavy rock they wont eat the stems and pads? I wish they werent so expensive

 

[oneofakindcritter]

Im hesitant to buy more to attempt it. I spend about 45 bucks a peice on the 2...2 years in a row and the same thing. Its alot of wasted money. Even if i cover the tubers with heavy rock they wont eat the stems and pads? I wish they werent so expensive

I've had mine in for 3 years and they have not touched the stems nor pads .as long as they can't get to roots you can see 1 of my pads in corner of my pict. you can also use lava rock as it is rougher,just make sure it's not treated with anything. The pieces do have to be larger so they don't just pick them up, But mine don't bother them at all once rocks are in place. Lowes & Menards do have smaller potted ones if you'd like to try those 1st normally a little cheaper. I would suggest repotting them out of the little container they come in as they'll out grow it in a season.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Thank you...I was just doing some research on the Euryale Ferox because Ive never heard of it before. I see the entire plant has prickers on them. Will these harm my fish or do they just keep the fish away from them? Where can I purchase these? I havent had much luck finding established plants online. Only seeds. Please cite some pros and cons of the Euryale Ferox please if you can. Thank you again very much

Perhaps Andrew Davis will pop in on this. He is the plant expert on this Forum. You will not find established plants, possibly only sprouted seed. Euryale is a Tropical Annual. It comes from seed each year.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Do lotus? Keep the lotus up high, maybe 23 inches (or less) below the water surface, so the koi won't mess with them. If you want, plant the lotus in a basket and a tub, keep the top of the basket at or above the surface.

Try a separate tub/barrel for the water lily. Helvola is a good performer for small spaces.

 

[Tula]

My koi proof solution to growing lilies is...... I planted them in Walmart oil pans with clay kitty litter. I then wrapped them in deer fencing and zip tied them shut.

Do you still have the tubers? It's not too late to get them started, as I know they're expensive to buy.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Do lotus? Keep the lotus up high, maybe 23 inches (or less) below the water surface, so the koi won't mess with them. If you want, plant the lotus in a basket and a tub, keep the top of the basket at or above the surface.

Try a separate tub/barrel for the water lily. Helvola is a good performer for small spaces.

I have always heard that a Lotus will not grow with more than 4 inches of water over the crown.

 

[brokensword]

Meyer; I've grown (from seed) two that are typically always 8-12" underwater. Didn't bloom the first year but did so the second.

 

[addy1]

I have always heard that a Lotus will not grow with more than 4 inches of water over the crown.

Mine started with the crown around 18 inches below water line , they worked their way down to 2.5 feet below water surface, they are all growing. When the lotus pond froze up this winter I pulled some of the lotus out to check the tubers, found out, to my surprise, they were growing well. They have been planted for around 4 years now, bloom every year.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Interesting. Guess you can't believe everything you read.....even in books!!

I have always followed the 4" guideline with no problems, but I guess this plant is more adaptable than it has been given credit for.

 

[addy1]

For us the 4 inch guideline would be death to them. They would be mush by the time they defrosted in the spring. Maybe yours are tropicals? Mine are hardies.

Technically all of mine should have died, as deep as the pond froze this winter.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

For us the 4 inch guideline would be death to them. They would be mush by the time they defrosted in the spring. Maybe yours are tropicals? Mine are hardies.

Technically all of mine should have died, as deep as the pond froze this winter.

Addy1, Are we both talking about Lotus (Nelumbo)? All Lotus are hardy to Zone 3.