How deep to plant perennial water lilies?

[420benz]

That is my Question.

 

[mrsclem]

I plant mine just deep enough to cover the main root at an angle with growing tip at surface

 

[brokensword]

just don't let the tuber freeze. Otherwise, closer to the warming water in spring means quicker growth and hopefully, flowers.

 

[addy1]

Mine are barely covered with kitty litter. The growth tip is out. If they have good roots a lot of times just the roots are buried.

 

[Mmathis]

Do you mean how deep in the soil, or how deep below the surface of the water?

 

[addy1]

Do you mean how deep in the soil, or how deep below the surface of the water?

lol deep enough not to freeze, ie under the water, deep enough in soil to not float out, growing tip out

 

[seandelevan]

Is this why my lilies rarely bloom? They are about 12-18” below the water and in pots. In full sun, zone 7, and I MIGHT get 2-3 blooms from April to Oct.

This year might be different as I took someone‘s advice on here and put almost a capful of osmocote in each pot this past fall....*fingers crossed*

 

[addy1]

This year might be different as I took someone‘s advice on here and put almost a capful of osmocote in each pot this past fall....*fingers crossed*

I put in 1/4 cup if not more, I just sort of toss it in under the litter. I do it once a year, usually fall, sometimes spring and they bloom a lot all summer.

It has never caused issues with my pond water, algae etc.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Is this why my lilies rarely bloom? They are about 12-18” below the water and in pots. In full sun, zone 7, and I MIGHT get 2-3 blooms from April to Oct.

This year might be different as I took someone‘s advice on here and put almost a capful of osmocote in each pot this past fall....*fingers crossed*

Besides the Osmocote last fall, you might want to think about using fertilizer tablets every couple of weeks throughout the growing season. I know Addy has magical powers that allow her lilies to bloom like crazy with absolutely no intervention, but (IME) some of us need to give them a bit of extra boost to achieve similar results.

 

[seandelevan]

Besides the Osmocote last fall, you might want to think about using fertilizer tablets every couple of weeks throughout the growing season. I know Addy has magical powers that allow her lilies to bloom like crazy with absolutely no intervention, but (IME) some of us need to give them a bit of extra boost to achieve similar results.

Ikr? Back at my old house, when I had no idea what I was doing, the same lilies were in my first “pond” -basically a ditch that may got full sun for maybe 2 hours a day...and these things bloomed like gang busters. Dozens of them. Smh.

 

[Mmathis]

lol deep enough not to freeze, ie under the water, deep enough in soil to not float out, growing tip out

Was just wondering which one @420benz was asking about.

 

[addy1]

Was just wondering which one @420benz was asking about.

yep now both answers lol. oh and not much deeper than 3 feet, mine are about 2.5 deep

 

[brokensword]

Ikr? Back at my old house, when I had no idea what I was doing, the same lilies were in my first “pond” -basically a ditch that may got full sun for maybe 2 hours a day...and these things bloomed like gang busters. Dozens of them. Smh.

isn't that the way it always goes? When I first got into orchids, I read and learned and read some more, gave them a lot of attention, talked to them religiously, took them out for the summer...sigh, I get more flowers now that I've either killed or given away most of them and if I blink their way at all, they're lucky!

 

[addy1]

Mine get attention twice, grooming back the growth in the fall, adding osmocote once, fall or spring. I don't even groom them during the summer. Just watch them flower and smell that beautiful lily flower smell.

 

[Doctor mcboy]

i could not dig in my clay lined bond because the bottom is a half inch of slime and then under that it is rock hard. i laid my Lillie tubers on the bottom and put a rock on top of them. i hope they grow. i seem to have a green thumb above water lets see how it goes