My lily will not flower!

[Shel]

Sorry Shel I cant help you there I would just like to say Hello from a very damp and dismal Plymouth UK where in India are you from my friend

Dave

Hey Dave, I am from Maharashtra, India... Not so damp here pretty warm actually! 25 Degs

 

[addy1]

Can you get a bigger container? See the leaves in the second picture, out of the water and browning on the edges? They like around a 3-4 foot area to grow in. There are tiny lilies made for tiny ponds, I don't have any.

Here is some info on them.
http://water-garden-blog.com/dwarf-and-small-water-lilies/

 

[Shel]

Thanks Add

Can you get a bigger container? See the leaves in the second picture, out of the water and browning on the edges? They like around a 3-4 foot area to grow in. There are tiny lilies made for tiny ponds, I don't have any.

Here is some info on them.
http://water-garden-blog.com/dwarf-and-small-water-lilies/

Thanks Addy, I think you may be right. But check the pic out. The container is small but the lily has flowered nonetheless.

 

[Dave 54]

Hey Dave, I am from Maharashtra, India... Not so damp here pretty warm actually! 25 Degs

Welcome aboard shel

Dave

 

[MitchM]

How do I check the phosphorus content?

What is the substrate made up of? All organic matter, or is there some clay in it?

Also, I saw a couple of fish in the tub. Do you feed them? That would be one source of phosphorus, but might not help the lily if there is no clay in the substrate.
I also agree that the tub is too small. With the pads completely covering the water surface, that would be limiting gas exchange.

 

[Shel]

What is the substrate made up of? All organic matter, or is there some clay in it?

Also, I saw a couple of fish in the tub. Do you feed them? That would be one source of phosphorus, but might not help the lily if there is no clay in the substrate.
I also agree that the tub is too small. With the pads completely covering the water surface, that would be limiting gas exchange.

There is clay too and organic compost and yes there were fish but now only a gourami and yes I feed it. The other type of fish seem to run out of oxygen. The tub space is not a concern. Will plant it in a bigger container if it helps but what I don't understand is that the plant seems to be flourishing without flowers. A new pad comes up everyday literally. I wish one of those pads was a bud.

 

[addy1]

To flower they like a higher phosphorus number. I give mine plant tabs that have a higher middle number i.e. phosphorus I give mine osmocote at the beginning of the season.

Per the net (as you can see the opinions vary as to how much phosphorous they need)

Phosphorous encourages flower blossom growth. The best fertilizer for flowers should be formulated with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (such as 10-10-10)

In order to have beautiful flowering water lilies with healthy green lily pads you are going to need to begin fertilizing your hardy water lilies on a regular routine. A good thing to do when taking care of your hardy water lilies is to fertilize them every 2 weeks. If you don't do it every 2 weeks try to at least fertilize them once a month. The more nutrients and aquatic fertilizer you give your water plants the healthier they'll be and you will notice this with the rich vibrant colours of the flowers and water lily pads.

The Best Lily & Lotus Fertilizer 10-26-10 Fertilizer Tabs designed to promote healthy growth ~ Designed to promote flowers

 

[Shel]

To flower they like a higher phosphorus number. I give mine plant tabs that have a higher middle number i.e. phosphorus I give mine osmocote at the beginning of the season.

Per the net (as you can see the opinions vary as to how much phosphorous they need)

Phosphorous encourages flower blossom growth. The best fertilizer for flowers should be formulated with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (such as 10-10-10)

In order to have beautiful flowering water lilies with healthy green lily pads you are going to need to begin fertilizing your hardy water lilies on a regular routine. A good thing to do when taking care of your hardy water lilies is to fertilize them every 2 weeks. If you don't do it every 2 weeks try to at least fertilize them once a month. The more nutrients and aquatic fertilizer you give your water plants the healthier they'll be and you will notice this with the rich vibrant colours of the flowers and water lily pads.

The Best Lily & Lotus Fertilizer 10-26-10 Fertilizer Tabs designed to promote healthy growth ~ Designed to promote flowers

Thanks Addy. Really appreciate the advice

 

[addy1]

Mine started doing well once I had more fish in the pond. Before that I fed them a lot more.

 

[Shel]

Mine started doing well once I had more fish in the pond. Before that I fed them a lot more.

I took your advice of fish and got 2 pairs of guppies yesterday. Today it seems like my gourami gulped them down! Lol. This guy is 5 inches long and I don't know what I can put in with him.

 

[mgmine]

Look on Youtube you will get a lot of good information on how to take care of them.