skimpy roots--struggling lilies

[lamby]

I bought 2 Wanvisa lilies from a local nursery. When I got them home and went to pot them up in bigger pots, I was stunned by how weenie their roots were. I've never seen anything like it--the roots were more like fragile hairs than roots. It's now been over a month and both plants are struggling, although one appears better than the other. Both plants are growing new, tiny leaves but the leaves don't seem to grow very big and some wither and die. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could do to specifically encourage root growth? The root stimulators that I've seen advertised are in liquid form, so obviously that won't do.

 

[Mmathis]

I have seen these — they are gorgeous!

How are you potting them (what kind of container and what media are you growing them in)? Are they getting adequate sunlight? How deep are you putting them? If you are growing them deep, maybe at first, put them on a crate or something to raise them up, closer to the sunlight. Then, once they take off, lower them.

It is suggested that a tablet or stake-type fertilizer can be pushed into the planting media. If you can’t find them locally, most can be mail ordered. Another solution is to use a granulated food, but wrap several portions (recommended per brand) in a piece of paper towel, or tissue, and tuck those into the soil where the roots can get to them. I’ve used this method. Just be sure the granules and paper are well into the soil.

 

[Tula]

Only my hardy white lilies seem to survive my koi. I plant them in oil pans and clay kitty litter. I put about 1/4 cup of osamacote mixed in
to the litter.

 

[addy1]

When I got my wanvisa, it was the size of my pinky. I bought two tubers, once it gets going it goes!
Here is mine as of today

 

[Tula]

Now I want a Wanvisa ! Just tried to contact William Trickers to see if it's too late to add to my order. I also like the Attraction.....woder which is more "durable" with koi ?

 

[lamby]

In a perfect world, my struggling lilies will grow up to produce this! haha---I realize that's not likely, but even if I get the lovely mottled blooms like yours, addy1, I'd be delighted. I've decided to remove the weakest plant and put it in a pot on my patio for this summer to baby it along. Hopefully it will be strong enough by the fall to go back into the pond to overwinter. By the way, I don't have fish so that's not the problem. I'll take some photos of the plants today and post them, so you can see what I mean. Thanks for all your comments!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

When I got my wanvisa, it was the size of my pinky. I bought two tubers, once it gets going it goes!
Here is mine as of todayView attachment 130892

Those are so pretty! I wonder if that's the same one I have. It looks similar (I don't know any of the names of my waterlilies...)

 

[addy1]

Those are so pretty! I wonder if that's the same one I have. It looks similar (I don't know any of the names of my waterlilies...)
View attachment 130898

Yep it is one, see the mottled color of the pedals? Mine are either real dark, light, yellow, every flower is a bit different. The plant in the pond is giving me a bunch of the same color but never know what the next will be like.

Also it has dark mottled leaves.

 

[lamby]

Okay, I brought the weakest plant out of the water and repotted it into a container on my patio. In the process, I took some photos of the root structure, and a video of a leech . Do you think that’s why they are struggling? I’m trying to attach the video of the tiny leech, but not succeeding.

 

[addy1]

Aww those are nice roots! Mine had even less than that.
Make sure the crown is above the soil, I put my starts in shallow sunny water. Like a foot deep full sun

 

[JamieB]

The lack of fish may be part of the problem unless they are being fed water from a fish pond. Fish poo is plant food. Add the plant fertilizer, or add some fish that won’t harm your plants. I put some of my surplus guppies into my lilly bin to keep water cycled, and produce waste to feed the plants until my pond is done and I can shift them over, and establish it.

 

[addy1]

You have a lot of new healthy growth coming up

 

[lamby]

Thanks for the encouragement, addy1. Our weather has been unseasonably cool and wet. I do think it was best to bring this plant out of the pond and give it the warmth of the patio. Hopefully I can report on a healthier looking plant in a couple of weeks from now.

 

[IPA]

Is the the kitty litter you used non clumping fragrance free natural clay?

 

[lamby]

I didn't use any kitty litter. The orange coloured material that you are possibly referring to is the planting medium that was used by the grower. I mixed it with a combination of washed play sand and plain soil. I have used kitty litter in the past, but finding the pure clay stuff isn't easy. They almost all have fragrance and clumping ingredients, so I gave up hunting. The only place I could find the pure stuff was at Walmart, which is not close to where I live.

One thing that I noticed when I brought it out to re-pot onto my patio, is that the fertilizer tab that I had put in when I first brought the plant home was still intact. It easily crumbled when I inspected it, but I was surprised that it was there at all. Isn't that supposed to dissolve over a period of a few weeks?