Dividing Lilies YUCK!

[pecan]

It's that time of year... we have been in the 50's - low 70's for about 2-3 weeks now. Everything is completely thawed, grass seed is growing, feeding fish spring food and they are quite active.

Today's task is to divide and re-pot water lilies before they start growing. Not sure about others but I find this task completely disgusting. If I didn't love my lilies so much I would get rid of them for this reason. Blah

I have 80 lbs of clay litter ready to re-pot.

Pull the lily pots out of the pond
Drain as much water as possible
Dump the stinky nasty things out
Divide and re-pot

I'll need some extra liquor for this task. I am glad I only do this every two years.

 

[addy1]

I dislike it to. Usually use the garden hose to wash some of the muck away.
I started wearing heavy gloves ow hands fingernails black. I have been getting my litter at tractor supply.

 

[pecan]

I dislike it to. Usually use the garden hose to wash some of the muck away.
I started wearing heavy gloves ow hands fingernails black. I have been getting my litter at tractor supply.

That's a good idea.
I need to get some of those rubber gloves people use to do dishes that go half way up your arms. And maybe a dust mask with a couple drops of lavender oil to mask the smell, with a small hole for the straw sticking out of my beer LOL

 

[addy1]

Do like we did in the hospital, if you just smell the smell for a bit, your brain begins to ignore it. We dwelt with some horrendous smells. I use the heavy duty cleaning ones. Used the nitrile ones off and on but they tend to rip.

 

[pecan]

Update: I decided to do this tomorrow. LOL

As the old saying goes, "Why do something today, you can put off until tomorrow."

 

[Smaug]

Do like we did in the hospital, if you just smell the smell for a bit, your brain begins to ignore it. We dwelt with some horrendous smells. I use the heavy duty cleaning ones. Used the nitrile ones off and on but they tend to rip.

That hasn't worked for my wife,she still won't go in the bathroom for at least a half hour after I do.

 

[addy1]

Lol she probably holds her breath, and you need to do it with each new smell. It is not one exposure and you are safe from them on.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I noticed one of my own lilies overgrowing the pot. I've been delaying the inevitable for that reason. It's a heck of a dirty job. Probably best that I do it sooner rather than later, though.

 

[Tula]

Glad I'm not the only one! I also find it hard to lift the pots up, out of the pond, and I wrap them in deer fencing to keep the koi out .

 

[Faebinder]

Someone educate me a bit about Lily's please and what you folks are discussing in this thread. I inherited my pond and it came with lilies, which I thought will just grow this spring.... What's this about needing to divide them?

 

[Timothy]

Do like we did in the hospital, if you just smell the smell for a bit, your brain begins to ignore it. We dwelt with some horrendous smells. I use the heavy duty cleaning ones. Used the nitrile ones off and on but they tend to rip.

In my service career we had to pick up drowning victims occasionally and I never got used to that smell! I'd get ill every time.

I agree with Tractor Supply. I think last year I got two 40 pound bags for around $5 each.

Maybe I'm doing this all backwards......I usually pull the pots in the fall (very heavy!) hose them off, then give them a shave and a haircut leaving any new small sprouts dividing them as needed. We dump the old cat litter, rinse out the pots, and stack them in a corner for next year. I have a mesh laundry bag that I put the lilies in then put the bag back in the deep part of the pond for the winter. Pretty soon I'll haul the bag out and re-pot with the cat litter and some Osmocote. We use the Osmocote in everything now. Transplants, new plants, and potted plants.

 

[addy1]

I do mine in the fall sometimes we left for az in sept. I didn't have time to even think about them. I keep them in pots so i can keep track of varieties. I like your method. Tim

If they are non potted, the lilies will send out tubers roots become a huge mass, eventually, that is very heavy. If in pots they outgrow the pots, become a heavy mess to deal with. Every few years i remove excess tubers, keep the young good growing ones. Usually offer up the excess tubers to the forum members.

 

[Timothy]

I do mine in the fall sometimes we left for az in sept. I didn't have time to even think about them. I keep them in pots so i can keep track of varieties. I like your method. Tim

If they are non potted, the lilies will send out tubers roots become a huge mass, eventually, that is very heavy. If in pots they outgrow the pots, become a heavy mess to deal with. Every few years i remove excess tubers, keep the young good growing ones. Usually offer up the excess tubers to the forum members.

LOL! I tagged them one year as to color, and name, tropical/hardy, and was all smug about how clever I was. In the spring there wasn't even a hint of the tags. Note to self: Don't use water soluble tags!
I meant to mention above that another reason I cleaned them in the fall was to avoid the slimy stems and leaves decaying into the pond over the winter.

 

[addy1]

I did cut all the growth off sank them but that was it. Did notice, and made mental note a bunch need grooming.I tag with cut plastic and mark the plastic with one of those huge hd black markers. Tie on with fishing line.

 

[Lisak1]

I have to get serious about marking my lilies - I thought I would never forget... but, yeah. I actually don't mind the smell of pond pots - call me weird. And I like nothing more than mucking around in the pond. Maybe I should hire myself out?