35
Fax: 519-782-3139 or 1-800-728-6324 Email:
Planting Aquatic Plants
SOIL:
All aquatic plants should be planted in a rich clay based topsoil. Try to avoid soil with a lot of compost
or peat, as the lighter materials tend to float. Most commercially bagged and sterilized soil is not suitable for
aquatic plants, because they contain these materials. The commercially bagged soil that we recommend is
Fafard Water Garden Soil (See page 30). It has been tested at our nursery and has proved to allow for good
development of water lilies and aquatic plants.
CONTAINERS:
Plastic containers are recommended because they are sturdy yet light in weight. Marginal or
bog plants can be planted in any suitable container, usually 8-10" across, but the bigger the better. Keep in
mind that aquatic plants will grow proportionately to the size container in which they are planted. Too small
containers will slow their growth by allowing them to become overcrowded quickly. For more stability, use wide
base pots for tall, emergent plants. Most water lilies require large containers from 15-24" across, with a capacity
of 27 litre (3/4 bu.) of soil per lily or larger. Dwarf lily varieties can be planted in 10-12" pots, but at least an 18
litre (1/2 bu.) container is recommended. Lotus require at least a 27 litre container, but prefer larger containers
with rounded corners. Even Dwarf Lotus should have at least a 27 litre container. Use 8" pots or shallow trays to
plant oxygenating plants. (See page 30 for planting supplies).
Planting Bareroot Hardy Water Lilies
Bareroot hardy lilies may be planted from late April until June. May and June are the best months. Add
moistened soil into the bottom half of an 18 to 27 litre (1/2 to 3/4 bu.) container.
Be sure soil is tamped to firm. Some hardy lilies (such as Chromatella)
should be planted almost vertically. Other lily roots grow at a 45° angle
while odorata rhizomes grow almost horizontally. Check the angle at
which the leaves and rhizome meet. This is the correct planting angle.
Place the lily in the tub so that the cut end is close to the edge of the
container, with the crown (from which the leaves grow) toward the
middle of the tub. This allows the most room for growth. Add more
moistened soil to fill the tub to within a couple of inches from the top.
Water lilies must be planted so that the crown is even with or slightly
above the surface of the soil. Push 5-6 fertilizer tablets into the soil a
few inches away from the crown of the lily to prevent burning. Tamp soil
down gently, being sure to fill the holes made by the fertilizer tablets.
Cover soil with a layer of gravel, making sure there is
NO SOIL OR GRAVEL ON THE CROWN
. The gravel will
keep the soil from being stirred up and discolouring the water and also prevents the fish from uprooting the
plants. It is a good idea to soak the soil with some warm pond water before placing the containers in the
pond. This allows air bubbles to escape and avoids muddying the pond water. Water lilies are heavy feeders
and should be fertilized with 4 fertilizer tablets once a month from April to August for maximum bloom and
growth.
Transplanting Potted Hardy and Tropical Lilies
Potted hardy lilies can be transplanted into larger containers until September. Transplant tropical lilies in June
when the water temperature has warmed to above 70°F (20°C). Cold water will cause the young plants to
become dormant. Tropical lilies and hardy lilies must be transplanted from their original pots to an 18-27 litre
container or larger. If left in the original containers, the lilies will become pot bound, which will stunt their
growth. Therefore, a large container allows room to grow, so that your lily will grow to its full potential and
bloom frequently. Fill the large container half full of moistened, tamped down soil. Carefully remove the
original pot from the lily and place the lily (soil and all) into the centre of the large container. Fill the remaining
space with moist soil leaving about 1" from the top of the pot. Tamp soil down gently. Push 5-6 fertilizer
tablets into the soil a few inches from the crown of the lily to prevent burning. Cover soil with a layer of gravel,
making sure there is
NO SOIL OR GRAVEL ON THE CROWN
. The gravel will keep the soil from being stirred up
and discoloring the water and also prevents the fish from uprooting the plants. It is a good idea to soak the soil
with some warm pond water before placing the containers in the pond to avoid muddying the water. Water
lilies are heavy feeders and should be fertilized with 4 fertilizer tablets once a month from April to August for
maximum bloom and growth.
INFORMATION PAGES
2013 Photo Contest – Hannah Mach
