How to Plant Water Lilies: A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Things to Note

The water lily has the elegant reputation of being the “goddess of the water.” It is a plant that grows in water, generally blooming in summer and autumn. Its flowers are beautiful and full of character, always able to capture people's attention and win widespread affection. Many people think this plant is very easy to grow, but that is not actually the case. Let's take a look together below.

How to Plant Water Lilies

1. Choosing the pot and soil

Try to choose a pot that opens outward, has a wider rim, and is relatively shallow. If the opening faces outward, the leaves will grow vigorously; if the pot rim is wider, the flowers will be larger; if the pot is shallower, the intervals between blooms will be smaller. As for the soil for planting water lilies, it differs from that used for ordinary flowers. The stickier the better, and pond silt is the best choice.

2. Seed treatment

Water lily seeds have a hard outer shell and need to be soaked. Before that, you need to grind down the end of the seed with the indentation, which helps with germination. Then soak the seeds in warm water at 20-30°C and leave them in the water to wait for germination. After about a week, little green shoots will grow. Once sprouted, move them to a sunny spot, and when young tender leaves appear, they are ready to be planted.

3. Potting

When the seeds are planted, the pot soil should already be prepared and set aside. Once two leaves have grown, they can be potted. Plant the germinated, leaf-bearing seeds together into the soil, with the water depth ideally not submerging the leaves. After planting, take good care of the water level and replenish water in time.

Water Lily Planting Methods and Things to Note

I. Planting methods

1. Soil

Water lilies do not have high soil requirements. Any slightly neutral soil (within PH6-8) will do, but growing them in loam with high organic matter content is better for their growth.

2. Water

The water depth suitable for water lily growth is between 25-30cm, which can be adjusted according to the size of the plant, but it should never exceed 80cm. Pay attention to water quality at ordinary times; it must be clean and transparent. If the water becomes dirty and smelly, change it in time.

3. Temperature

At ordinary times, water lilies can be kept in an environment of 25-30°C for care. In winter, adjust the temperature to above 13°C, otherwise, apart from some cold-hardy varieties, ordinary water lilies will suffer frost damage.

4. Light

Light is the most important factor in growing water lilies, because it is a strong-light plant. The stronger the light you give it, the better it grows. So no matter the season, it needs sufficient light. If natural light is insufficient in winter, artificial supplementary lighting can be used.

II. Things to note

1. Prune in time. After water lilies finish blooming, some faded flowers and withered leaves will remain on the plant. They not only increase the plant's nutrient consumption but also affect the ornamental effect, so they need to be cut off in time.

2. Change the mud every year. Growing water lilies requires changing the mud every year, because after a year of growth and consumption, the nutrients in the mud are basically all used up by the plant, making it hard to support continued growth. Changing the mud can give it more nutrients and help it grow.

Why Water Lilies Fail to Bloom

1. Variety issues

When growing water lilies at home, it is best to choose free-flowering water lily varieties, and then meet all their growth needs; they are relatively easy to get to bloom.

2. Light reasons

A necessary condition for water lily growth is sufficient light. If light is insufficient for a long time, water lilies will show lush branches and leaves but poor blooming, or may even fail to bloom. So when growing water lilies, they need to be given full sun.

3. Not dividing for a long time

When growing water lilies in pots, it is best to divide them once every 1 or 2 years. If they are not divided for a long time, the root system of the water lilies in the pot will become crowded and blocked, the roots will grow poorly, and blooming will be affected. So after water lilies have been grown for a period of time, they should be divided.

4. Too much base fertilizer

In the early stage of water lily growth, applying too much fertilizer, especially base fertilizer, is very unfavorable for blooming. In addition, if the soil is poor at planting time, nutrient loss can also cause water lilies not to bloom.

What to Do When Water Lily Leaves Turn Yellow

I. Causes of yellowing leaves

Infrequent watering and water shortage cause new leaves to wither. If air humidity is too low, a dry environment easily causes new leaves to wither.

II. Methods for handling yellowing

1. When buying water lilies, choose ones whose terminal buds look and feel full, strong, and firm. There is no strict requirement for the size of the tuber. Avoid buying water lilies with blurred, non-protruding bud tips.

2. When planting, they can be placed upright, lying horizontally in the mud, or inserted at an angle in the mud. It is best to plant the terminal bud shallowly in the mud, so that the roots it sends out will go directly into the soil. Avoid mixing raw fertilizer into the soil, and avoid fertilizer fermentation having a certain impact and threat on the water lily.

The flower shape of the water lily is very graceful, and it can be considered a relatively precious ornamental flower plant. Besides its well-known ornamental value, the water lily can also be used as medicine, so friends who grow water lilies at home must take good care of them.