Growing Water Lilies Pond Plants
Water Lilies Plants: How to grow Water Lilies in a Pond
Each one of us has a penchant for all things beautiful and water lilies are no exception. For many years, the water lilies plants have been the object of fascination for humans by their large leafy pads, some serrated some round and some leaves turned up which enables them to float on water, and make ponds and aquatic gardens a delight to look at. This beautiful, mysterious plant rises from the deep, with leaves floating on the water surface peacefully along with their beautiful flowers. Water lilies do flower in a range of colours from October to April in Australia. When growing Water Lilies they are not just found in dams, ponds and public gardens but can be grown in your own back yard in large bowls. Dwarf water lilies are usually seen growing in a sheltered position growing in small shallow ponds. Water Lilies plants are actually perennials that their lifecycle is that they go dormant in winter and like any other plant starts growing again in spring to go on to flower later on. Apart from adding beauty to a pond, underwater plants also prevent the growth of algae.
Growing Water Lilies and Other Pond Plants
Water lilies and Lotus are grown in ponds all over the world, for example in Europe, Africa and America, Bangkok, Thailand and Australia. The water lily is not related to the true lilies, to a scientist, the water lily is called Nymphaea, nevertheless, they are all very beautiful plants to look at. They are found in attractive colours such as white, pastel colours to deep red.
Selecting the Right Water Lily for Your Climate
Remember your location when growing water lilies. The climate is very important to which type of water lily you choose for your pond. There are two categories of water lilies one is the tropical variety which are frost tender and needs removing from the pond during the winter months and the other variety is the hardy water lily variety that will stand very cold weather.
Planting Waterlilies in Pots or Containers – Growing Instructions
Water Lilies Care – Water lilies need at least 4 hours sun per day, but the more sunlight the better, repotting the water lilies in Australia is best done in September when the growing season starts this can be right up to January, you can either plant them into a pot or straight into your pond or dam.
How to Plant Water Lilies in a Pond – It is best growing water lilies in squat pots you can buy special pots to pot up waterlilies they have special draining holes. Add in some heavy garden soil, it is best to add clay or newspaper to the bottom of the pot, when potting up water lilies, keep the growing crown of water lilies free without soil once planted. You can then add stones, pebbles anything that will help weigh the pot of water lilies down in the pond and to keep the soil in. Immerse the pot to the bottom of the pond. When the pot is lowered into the water, the water must be over the crown of the plant by six inches to one foot of water, this means that your water lily can be planted one metre deep.
How to Care for Water Lilies in a Container – Water should be calm and not moving around with ripples of a fountain or running water. Water lilies need to be repotted every two or three years. You can fertilise your water lilies during spring with fertiliser tablets inserted into the soil. If you have fish in your pond there is no need to fertilise your water lilies, as the fish will do this through aquaponics gardening these fish can be anything from gold fish to native fish even koi carp, in other words, water lilies, oxygenating plants use fish waste as a fertiliser in turn this will provide oxygen to the water. Not only do water lilies look great they provide a very important role to proved shelter, shade and supply food to frogs and fish.
When you repot your water lilies after growing 2 years, remove the pot from the pond, you can use a knife to divide the tubers into two or three pieces or as desired, make sure each piece has a lily pad attached to it. Any dead lily pads should be removed at this time. Snip off the spent flowers and leaves as close to the base as possible, to keep the plant looking neat.
How to tell the difference between a water lily and a lotus?
The difference between water lilies and lotus is that leaves float on the surface of the water with water lilies and the lotus leaves rise high, some four feet higher than the water. It is best to plant the lotus in the bottom of the pond this lets the plant wander more freely, this makes more flowers. Water lilies are best grown in a pot.
Some of the Nymphaea waterlilies to buy in Australia are Water lily Tina, Water lily Rosana Supreme, Water lily Peaches and Cream, Water lily Soix, Water lily Marguareite, Water lily Mrs Pring, Water lily Heavenly Blue, Water lily Jack Wood, Water lily Red Flare, Water lily Tinkerbell, Water lily Pattern and Water lily White Knight, water lily Monet and my favourite is a temperate Water lily Glorie du Temple-sur-lot which has lots of petals flowering palest pink but so pretty.
Follow the above easy steps and you will be able to enjoy this exotic view of beautiful water lilies floating in your pond.
