Welcome to the wonderful world of water lilies!
Here are the basics that you need to know in caring for your water lily.
Light:
6 hours, full sun is ideal, any less than 4 hours and a water lily may not bloom. We do carry lilies that will bloom with 4 hours of sun.
Fertilizing:
1 tab of lily tabs per month for a 1 gallon water lily. 2 tabs per month for a 2 gallon water lily. Fertilizing promotes blooms and big healthy leaves; if you don’t fertilize, your lily may slow in growing and become smaller.
Repotting:
Most water lilies like to be re-potted into fresh dirt every 6-9 months. You can do it yourself with regular ol’ dirt, but be forewarned it can be a messy job. We offer water lily re-potting for $20 if you bring your water lily into the Nursery in a plastic trash bag (to keep the leaves moist.)
Maintenance:
It is best to prune your spent water lily leaves and blooms when they get yellow or start decomposing. Snip the stem with a sickle or your fingernail as close to the crown as you can get. If you don’t prune your water lily, it will fill your container with ‘muck’ faster. Pruning also helps if you have pests attacking your water lily. Read about holes in your lily pads here.
Depth:
Water lilies can be as deep 18 inches or as shallow as 12 inches from the top of its plastic pot to the water’s surface. If a water lily is completely submerged or the stems are too long, don’t worry! It will self-correct within 2 weeks and adjust to its new home. Use cinder blocks to adjust height if needed.
Watch a YouTube video on how to re-pot water lilies here.
