Lily pad growth rate

[minnowman]

Lilies have two types of leaves, submerged and floating. Probably not a good idea to cut off the submerged leaves. They stay on until the plant decides it's ready to send up floating pads. After a few surface pads the underwater leaves will die and disappear. The surface pads will grow rapidly if given sufficient soil and fertilizer. A warm, shallow spot will encourage floating leaves to start.

 

[buckry]

Well shoot, I already cut off all of the submerged ones, but I will leave them alone from now on.

 

[don't ask]

buck, dividing shouldn't be necessary until plant is probably 2 or 3 years old..you can prune any leaf/stems that are discolored or dying on the surface and if the leaves are getting too crowed on the surface...

 

[blessedfamily]

How often are you fertilizing? I had one that didn't seem to want to come to the top so I got in and added some tablets and the next day it was at the top of the water! I was shocked when I went out and it was at the top floating,just one tiny leaf but still made it to the top over night. Just a thought.

 

[buckry]

I've only had them for a month, and they've done jack that whole time. I put a single tab in each pot, but today I put in 2 more. I did read that you're supposed to put the tab 3" away, I put them right next to the root last time, so this time I put them 3" away.

 

[buckry]

So it's been 7 full days since I started this thread. One lily got its act together and now has 3 pads floating and 3 more on the way. Not amazing, but I'm desperate, I'll take what I can get.

The other 2, look like bumps on logs, literally. Can I safely assume they are dead or dying? I'm definitely going to buy 2 new ones today, but should I give these guys the rest of the summer in the goldfish pond? I can put them on the shelf at first and, since I only have goldfish I probably won't even pot them, just lay the rhizome right on the gravel.

Or does this seem exceptionally hopeful? They were not expensive so it's not like I'm out $100 or anything, but if they could recover I sure would hate to throw them away.

 

[addy1]

toss them in the pond, weight it down with a rock or something and just wait and see.

I just stick the tabs in, have never worried about being xx inches away. It has not seemed to bother the plants at all.

 

[buckry]

Ok, well that's my lunch project then, moving lilies around, if they are still dead next spring then I'll chuck them.

 

[j.w]

If they have any little leaves on them at all they are prolly still alive Buck so don't throw them away. If they die they will lose every little tiny pad on them and all you will see is a rotting tuber so give them lots of time. Maybe they are just scared of you and afraid to come out..............thinking you will murder them if they make any mistakes at all :razz:

 

[buckry]

Yeah, they are growing tiny new leaves at a snails pace. The one has maybe 3 nickels sized ones, the other has 1 dime size and maybe 2 more that are popping out. Either that or that's just algae, that's how small they look, I can't tell if it's a lily pad or algae.

Got 2 nice big ones at the florist today though, going to scrub them really good and hose them off and them pot them for the pond tonight. The 2 I bought from the same place earlier this week are doing great, probably have 5 leaves on the surface and tons more new ones on their way.

 

[buckry]

I think I know what's wrong with my lilies. I unpotted them tonight and they have maybe 6 roots between them. They're very skinny, and very short. The brand new ones I bought tonight have hundreds of roots, some as thick as 1/4" and they seem like they might be a full 8" long. Very robust, as opposed to what I have, which is wimpy.

But as I unpotted them i found about 8 tiny little leaves under the soil on each one, so I think they just need a few weeks to get their bearings and they probably will be fine, I just don't want to wait, my pond needs coverage like, a month ago. So I put the wimpy ones into the goldfish pond, it's crystal clear, if they grow great, if not, I can deal with that later.