Water lily - small pads, time to re-pot?

[markd]

Ok, my hardy lily is three years old, in a pretty small pot (maybe 10"?).. . . when I cleaned up the pond this spring I noticed that the root (tuber?) is growing out of the pot too... didn't think too much about it.

It has flowered quite a bit, but only put up a small number of small pads. (last year it covered half my small pond) I have not fertilized it yet.

Is this a sign that it needs to be divided?

Is it too late in the season to do so?

Thanks for any advice.

Markd

 

[j.w]

Yep they need dividing and some fertilizer afterwards. I have used in the past Osmocote in the bottom and Jobes tomato spikes and water lily plant tabs. It's easier to divide in the Spring when they don't have all the pads and flowers in your way but you can divide them anytime during the growing season. Just cut them up in pieces making sure to leave a few stems on each part that you cut. I use pure clay kitty litter in my tubs. Wear gloves unless you want purple fingers :razz:

 

[addy1]

Here is some info on grooming them

http://www.watergarden.com/pages/plant_care.html

 

[markd]

Great, thanks! Sounds like a weekend project.... . I will post pictures of my purple fingers. ;-)

 

[addy1]

Have fun

 

[markd]

Ok, all done. I ended up planting in pea gravel, in dishwashing tubs (my pond is too small for oil pans!). I found one major growing point, and I think two smaller ones, plus the back half of the major growing point. We'll see how they do!

As promised, purple fingers. I have to say I am disappointed though- I was hoping for something a little more dramatic. ;-)

 

[j.w]

Yeah right you really just robbed a bank and the exploding dye went off in your hands and this water lily thing is just a cover up :razz:

Ha Ha good you got them planted and dish tubs are just fine!

 

[addy1]

geez jw you aren't supposed to tell on him! if they read this he is in trouble

 

[j.w]

Ok then:

markd did not rob a bank even tho he has incriminating dye marks on his hands and has not denied it yet. That is a nice big bag of water lilies in his hand

 

[Puddles]

lol.. to funny JW ...

so if your water lillies start putting off small pads that means it is time to repot/seperate ??.. I think mine are sending off small pads .. ill have to look again .. i hope not ..i got alot more to do with the pond still i dont want to have to redo them ...lol

Marion

 

[j.w]

Marion, look and see what the tuber is doing down there in the pot. If it's quite large and coming over the side and looks like it's trying to escape and it's been in the same pot for a few yrs then it's prolly time to re-pot. How big is the pot that it's in? If it was put in too small of a pot it will need re-potting sooner than a few yrs. Some do it each yr. Not me. I do it every 2 o3 yrs cuz I've got other things to do and they won't die waiting. The tubers will just be bigger and harder to deal w/ but that's ok. A dishpan size container is a good size and some use those black plastic oil pans. Lilies need room to grown and send that tuber growth forward. That's why you butt the non-growing end up against the pot side and let the growing tip run forward.

 

[markd]

You people crack me up!!
I think my original pot was 10". I had to cut the rim and part way down the side to get the tuber out. . . it was climbing over the edge and pushing so hard on the other side that the pot was distorted.... I think there were about three tablespoons of dirt in there- the rest was aaaaaallllllll roots ant tubers!
Once they catch on, I'll have to get rid of most of them. My pond was barely big enough to support one!
Dishpans were the cheapest thing I could find in black. ;-)

 

[addy1]

It was trying to escape! let me out let me out!................

Post free for shipping in the classified, (if you want to) you will probably have takers.

 

[j.w]

Oh yes lots of peeps were asking if I still had some left but mine are all gone. They will get good homes if you offer them up!

 

[markd]

Ok, I'll keep that in mind. First have to make sure they all survive my un-gentle separation techniques.