Water lily, to bury in gravel or use basket?

[dinm]

Hi, I just ordered a yellow flower water lily, but I am looking for tips on planting it. Would be it wise to plant directly in gravel in the pond? Or use a pond basket with soil, if so what kind of soil mixture should it be, I read some people used sand mixture with soil, and pea gravel so it can't dirty the pond.

I also do not have any kind of specialized fertilizer for water lilies where I live, would a slow release granular one work as well?

 

[Jhn]

If you don’t want to try and overtake the pond put it in a pot, or if you are comfortable climbing in the pond and yanking tubers down the road then Can put in the pond.

I have done both, but I have an area of my pond that is dedicated to letting the water lilies roam free, I also don’t mind a climb in the pond to pull out tubers.

I have used granular slow release fertilizer wrapped in a paper towel as lily fertilizer and also just tossed the granular fertilizer in the bottom of the pot. Just use unscented kitty litter for the soil in the pot.

 

[dinm]

If you don’t want to try and overtake the pond put it in a pot, or if you are comfortable climbing in the pond and yanking tubers down the road then Can put in the pond.

I have done both, but I have an area of my pond that is dedicated to letting the water lilies roam free, I also don’t mind a climb in the pond to pull out tubers.

I have used granular slow release fertilizer wrapped in a paper towel as lily fertilizer and also just tossed the granular fertilizer in the bottom of the pot. Just use unscented kitty litter for the soil in the pot.

As for putting in pond, do you do it without any kind of soil, and just put tubers in gravel?

 

[addy1]

Just put them in the gravel.

 

[dinm]

Just put them in the gravel.

Planted this guy in gravel today. Nymphoides peltata, smaller kind of water lily, but hardy.
I basically just anchored the roots in gravel in the deep part of the pond where the water is not moving, I am worried that it might not grow as well without soil, but I do have koi and goldfish so presume those will help fertilize it.

 

[Tula]

It's possible your koi will disturb it if they can reach it. I ended up planting my lilies in pans with deer f fencing zip tied over the top as my koi were relentless with plants !

 

[addy1]

Planted this guy in gravel today. Nymphoides peltata, smaller kind of water lily, but hardy.
I basically just anchored the roots in gravel in the deep part of the pond where the water is not moving, I am worried that it might not grow as well without soil, but I do have koi and goldfish so presume those will help fertilize it.

I don't have koi, my lilies that are running free have a ton more pads on the surface than the potted ones. And the pads are probable 3 x times the size of the others, ie bigger.

 

[SarahT]

Do any of the water lilies' roots "grow through the liner" or is that a rumor? The one doing the best this year escaped its pot with the assistance of my koi (BAD koi, stop uprooting the lilies!) and is growing at the bottom in a little bit of leaf litter. Do I need to get it up and back in a pot?

 

[addy1]

No I have had loose runners, their roots are soft, won't cut through a liner.