Loam for Waterlilies

[luscious775]

Can someone tell me what to buy or mix to make the loam soil for lilies? This has been driving me nuts because it seems there isn’t a all in one product, and is sand,clay and plain manure without fertilizer will work? I want to plant some seeds but there is conflicting info
Thanks,Andrea

 

[mrsclem]

If you are planting tubers, then plain clay cat litter. Make sure it is non-clumping and unscented. If you are attempting to grow from seed then I would use a regular seed starting mix and keep the pot out of the pond until you get some good growth. You don't want to use manure in your pond.

 

[WaterGardener]

You also don't want regular potting soil in the pond.

I use sand for tubers and have never tried to grow then from seed.

Best of luck.with that project and please.let us know how it works out.

 

[j.w]

Lots of ways to grow them but clay from a store is easiest and clay is good for you pond water also. I use Special Kitty 100% clay w/no perfumes or additives from Walmart. Add some fertilizer tabs or spikes for veggies to make them grow strong as they need food to grow. You can buy pond ones just made for water lilies too. Can use osmocote and many others. Just take the beads of osmocoste and put in a little wad of T.P so it will stay down under the soil till it dissolves. The T.P will dissolve away also and won't bother your water.

 

[luscious775]

Just kitty litter and sand? Plus actual dirt, but what is it consist of? Some of the pond soil mixtures have peat in them so what’s the organic matter needed for them. I’m starting them from seeds the small ones just need some help with this, thanks

 

[j.w]

Seed growing water lilies I have no experience w/so I will leave that for someone else to answer. Don't think they would grow well in just kitty litter tho.

 

[adavisus]

If you know of a decidious woodland, find a spot on the lowland slope where centuries of soil have developed high fertility, dig down a foot you will find ideal loam for potting waterlilies, lotus, aquatic plants.

It takes a pond about a month to deplete fertility levels in the growing season, figure a way to insert slow release fertilisers to pep up growing rates further

Wrap a couple of cubic inches of any standard fertiliser in cling film, seal it, poke a couple of pin holes to slow release... to make your own super dooper plant 'pills' to insert beneath your favourite pond plants

This will double and triple blooms...

With a dash of dried cows blood added, this will make the bloom colour tones really pop. They like the extra iron content.

 

[Doctor mcboy]

Can someone tell me what to buy or mix to make the loam soil for lilies? This has been driving me nuts because it seems there isn’t a all in one product, and is sand,clay and plain manure without fertilizer will work? I want to plant some seeds but there is conflicting info
Thanks,Andrea

i just set my tubers on the pond floor (i do not have a liner) and set a rock on it to keep it down. i have a hard clay floor

 

[eddie209]

My local Ready Mix sells Loam. Check out your local Ready Mix or a Rock yard.