How to Divide Your Hardy Water Lilies in 5 Easy Steps
The water lily is the most beautiful of all aquatic pond plants and grows in many shapes, sizes and colors. These exquisite aquatic plants, also commonly known as Nymphaea and Lotus Flowers, are available as hardy varieties and tropical varieties. The main difference between tropical and hardy varieties is their tolerance for cold water and cold water conditions.
Hardy lily pads should be divided every 2-3 years as they grow too large for their current home. In order to flourish and develop, they need more space for their roots to spread. One big bonus though is that you end up with more bunches than you started with!
A shallow, wide container of about 7 gallons is perfect for the average to large size hardy water lily. A smaller container between 3 and 5 gallons is ideal for smaller plants.
Spring is the best time of year to accomplish this necessary but often unwanted task. However, don’t worry if you’ve missed spring and find yourself basking in the summer sun. The entire growing season is a perfect time to divide your hardy water lilies.
If you follow the steps outlined below, you will successfully achieve your goal!
* The first step is to remove the resistant lily pad from the pond. Once you’ve removed it from the pond, you’ll need to gently remove it from its current home and rinse the roots with water to remove excess dirt and debris.
* The next step is to cut off the old growth from one end of the tuber and cut off any new growth from the other end. If there are new eyes, you can cut them out and place them if you wish.
* The third step is to cut the tuber to the proper size. On small, hardy lilies, you can safely cut the tuber 2 to 3 inches off the growing part with a sharp knife. This can be increased by 5-6 inches on larger plants. Remember to also cut off new shoots and older leaves, so that the new root system has a chance to develop.
*Having pruned the tuber to the desired size, the next step is to place the hardy water lily in a suitable container, having filled the pot with aquatic potting soil. It is best to place it against the wall of the pot rather than in the center of the pot. To encourage faster growth, I would recommend adding a couple of tablets of aquatic fertilizer; push them through the soil to about halfway up the pot. Pack the tuber firmly in place, with a little more soil. This will help keep it in place for the fifth and final stage. Cover the soil with a layer of pea gravel which will prevent fish from damaging the roots and will also prevent the soil from floating away. Make sure the crown of the tuber is not covered.
* The fifth and final stage involves putting the lily into your fish pond or water garden. Gently lower the container containing the tuber into the water, to a depth of 12 inches. You will probably notice that the debris mixes with the pond water; this is normal and will soon settle to the bottom of the pond. Once you have placed it in its place, leave it well alone, until you have noticed that between 5 or 6 leaves develop. Once this happens, you can now place it in deeper water if needed; depending on the species and preferred water depth.