Lilies in pea gravel

[Billkeyups]

Earlier this Spring, we discussed planting water lilies in closed pots with soil and using
fertilizer tabs vs. using mesh baskets with only pea gravel and NO fertilizer.

This season I tried two of each. As always, the potted ones (both are tropicals) bloomed like crazy with fertilizer. The other two (one tropical, one hardy) in pea gravel, bloomed OK, but of course not like the others. I was actually expecting no blooms.

Next year, I think I will put six baskets in the pond, all in pea gravel. Not having to pull them out every two weeks and fertilize them will be a fair trade off to me for less blooms.

1. To those of you who use pea gravel, I was wondering if you pull the baskets out at the end of the growing season to de-muck the pond, or leave them and their root mass in year-round?
2. If you do pull them out, do you clean or trim the roots and then put them back?
3. And finally, has anyone tried the mesh basket / pea gravel system with miniature lotus plants?

 

[koiguy1969]

no need even for the mesh baskets regular baskets will do...mine are in oil change pans and peagravel.. i fertilized once at the beginning of season, and have had dozens of blooms usually atleast 6 flowers above water, at times as many as 12. the only time you need to mess with the roots is if it becomes root bound,then its best to move them to a bigger container not trim them...or cut the rhyzone and split the plant.