photo credit: dtsomp

Pond lilies are easy to care for and reproduce freely. By dividing the plants you will have a constant supply of new plants that are quick and easy to transplant into new holding pots. And if you have too many it’s the perfect excuse to trade plants with the neighbors.

How to divide water lilies

If you’re not that familiar with water lilies you may not know they are planted in water baskets. Begin by lifting the entire basket of water lilies from your pond in the early spring. You will want to do this before they flower, but after new leaves have developed.

Set the basket on a tarp, plastic or the grass. This can get messy so I prefer a tarp to make cleaning up easier and the lawn or work area clean.

Begin by pulling the plant out of the holding basket by the base of the stalk. You will need to be careful not to damage any young shoots when removing the plant. Provide support to the plant with your free hand.

Next cut through the root ball with a large sharp knife. When you make a cut check first to make sure each section has new growing tips attached. Make as many cuts as necessary to return the lily root ball to the original size.

Each section can now be replanted to create a new lily.

How to plant the new water lily plant

1. Line the new basket or pot with hessian to prevent the soil from being washed away.
2. Fill the pot with aquatic soil mixture and insert the new lily plant.
3. Carefully cover the rootball with soil and fold the hessian over the top of the pot. Make sure you allow the stem and leaves to emerge from the top.
4. Add a layer of gravel on top of the hessian to prevent it from floating. Pack the soil and gravel in place.
5. Submerge the pot or basket in shallow water. The new shoots on the pond lily should rest at the surface of the water.

You will want to move the potted plant to a deeper section of the pond once the leaves and stems have grown long enough to reach the surface.

Your new lily plant should begin blooming in June. To keep you pond healthy and clean check the plant and remove deep leaves to prevent debris in your pond. This step will save you time later on.

Stunning shows of color floating on the water in you pond will add peace and tranquility to your own backyard. And the varieties of lilies available will give you a wide choice of color to add to you lawn and pond garden area.

Note: Do not use regular potting soil in the baskets for aquatic plants. The nutrients in the soil will cause algae to grow in your pond. This will cause you problems later on and also expense of trying to rid the pond of algae.

photo credit: La Citta Vita

There are many varieties of water plants. A few of them include the water lily, lotus, duckweed, water iris, hornwort, golden club and water pimpernel. Each water plant has its own specific growing needs and preferred climate, but one thing they all have in common is that they must grow in water. Water plants grow in lakes and streams, shallow ponds, swamps or bogs or just near a river where the soil remains damp and wet.

There are also floating water plants and underwater plants. The floating plants add beauty to a pond and offer shade and food to fish and other aquatic animals. Underwater plants clean and purify the air keeping a pond healthier.

To add plants to your backyard pond or water area, prepare a loamy soil by mixing up a blend of 1 part manure, 1 part sand and 1 part ground clay. You can use clean kitty litter if clay is not available. Use plastic basket to plant the water plants in. A 4-inch by 4-inch basket is a good size, but the plants may determine if you want a larger basket.

Once the plants are planted in the basket it will be time to submerge them in the pond or water. Depending on the plant you may want to sit the plants on cement blocks or rocks to vary the height of the plants.

To choose water plants its best to go to a greenhouse or business that supplies water plants. They will give you the necessary information and advice for what plants will grow in your area. Some water plants will over-winter in cold climates, some only grow to a zone 6 or seven and some will require that you bring them in for the winter. If you don’t want to remove and store plants its best to make sure you plants will survive you coldest months.

Water lilies

Water lilies are one of the more popular and well know water plants. To prepare the water lily, plant in a plastic basket filled with loamy soil. Bury the roots in the soil but make sure to leave the flower uncovered. Next cover the soil with pea gravel. Soak the soil with water to prepare the plant for its new home and to settle the plant and soil mix.

Place the basket in a sunny pond 18 inches deep. You will want to bury the plastic basket under the mud to hold the plant down. Water lilies grow well in freezing temperatures making this a plant that is adaptable to most climates.
photo credit: hot_bake

Water fringe

Water fringe or water snowflake lily-like flower are an example of a plant that should be removed from a pond during cold winters. Plant the water fringe in 6-inch-deep mud after planting the roots in a loamy soil-filled basket.

There are many water plants that you can choose from and they all have their own beauty, purpose and needs. With careful selection you can add plants to you pond area that enhance the water garden area but match you needs for pond care and maintenance.