lily protection - opinion please

[ponderpaul]

My koi had just about destroyed this water lily – sucking all the dirt out of the pot and gnawing the plant down to the root as much as they could reach. So, the hypothesis is, the lily leaves will grow through the wire netting, the wire will keep the fish out of the pot and the duct tape will keep the wire out of the fish. I will try to remember to post a follow up at a later date.

Will it work???:dunno:

 

[j.w]

But if the Koi actually eat the lily what will stop them from ripping the plant apart as it grows out of the pot?
I would think the duck take would just unstick itself when it stays under water for too long

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Looks good a hose clamp could easily replace the duck tape.

 

[ponderpaul]

They don't bother the leaves too much except that they break them off trying to get to the dirt and roots in the pot. Time will tell what the tape will do. Have to have something to protect the fish from the sharp ends of the wire.

 

[ponderpaul]

Looks good a hose clamp could easily replace the duck tape.

the purpose of the tape is to cover the exposed ends of the cut wire. Suggestion welcome

 

[mrsclem]

I've got my lilies in the square planting baskets and used the plastic poultry netting attached with plastic zip ties. This is something I just started this year so will see how it works.

 

[ponderpaul]

plastic poultry netting

Is this a mesh large enough for the lily to grow through and tough enough to keep the koi out? I have fish from 6 to 20+ inches.

 

[mrsclem]

I've got the netting just above the roots so the leaves should go right up thru. I've got some koi that are 24" and the net has stopped them before. I may try this on the lotus as well so I can sink them into the pond for the winter.

 

[ponderpaul]

I'll have to find some of that. Overwintering my lotus in a little greenhouse. Made the mistake this past summer of turning the lotus loose in the pond -- BIG MISTAKE

 

[RSFish1]

Well I do not like using metal like that in my pond. It always seems to somehow develop a sharp point or start to deteriorate.
Buy some of the same netting that you would use to cover your pond. It is amazing that plants will grow through the smallest of openings and thrive. I use a big rubber band or a piece of string to then tie it tight to the pot. This will keep the Koi out of the roots and dirt. And no rough edges.
I am lucky. I keep enough water hyacinths in the pond so the Koi eat the roots their and leave my lilies alone.

 

[mrsclem]

RSFish- What I use is the green plastic poultry netting, not the metal wire. I also got some larger netting that has 2"x2" openings to put over some other plants. Hopefully it will give the babies some place to hide and keep the larger fish out.

 

[Peg]

Hi, I have various size baskets from square to large rectangle 18" x 2+'.... I have only used the round stones you can buy at like Home Depot garden center or another home improvement center (or possibly greenhouse would have them). Granted, they have their fun in the plant pots and spit stones all over, but I have yet to have a lily be uprooted.... They are planted in cat litter then covered with round stones about 2" deep in stone and they come up each year and I can push thru rocks with fertilizer tabs when needed.

I'm afraid that the Koi would get injured (after the little devils finish ripping off the duct tape) and even if it stayed attached, I've had rabbit wire rust/rot in the filter so I don't use wire anymore at all.... Plastic zip ties work best

Good luck....

 

[cauzeneffeckt]

why not use bird netting instead of that mesh? the fish can get hurt with that.. I was thinking of using the bird netting as i am thinking of letting my lilies grow bare root next year. something similar to what you are thinking

 

[mrsclem]

I have had small koi get caught in the bird netting so I don't let it touch the water.

 

[cauzeneffeckt]

good point, it could be the smaller holes.. not the 1 in 3/4 in holes the bird netting has.. no?