Over the weekend I bought another water lily (I fully admit that I am a plant/gardening addict! Currently looking for a 12 step program :) ) The salesman tried, unsuccessfully, to get me to buy fertilizer tablets for my water lilies. He said that without the fertilizer they would either not bloom at all or if they did bloom they would not continue to bloom all summer. I said I thought the fish would fertilize all the plants. He countered that by saying there is so little surface area in a potted plant that fish waste could not effectively fertilize them. Wondering what you all think about this?
does anyone use aquatic plant fertilizer?
I had this question, too. I am glad you posted it. When I bought my water lily, the tag said to fertilize it after it bloomed. It did bloom once, but I didn't get fertilizer for it yet, but I did have a lot of toad eggs in the pond and wrapped around the plants and wondered if that would suffice for fertilizer. It hasn't bloomed since.
Novice here, but I bought the tabs, and fertilized when I planted, and once since. It says to put a tab in about once a month. All I know is last year I only had one bloom all season (didn't fertilize) and this year I've already had three blooms on one, have a bloom on one I got from randbponder about a month ago, and can see two starting on another. So I'm going to keep fertilizing for now - Dax
You should fertilize. Think about it, normally they would be growing in a pond bottom, which is what? Basically fish sh*t, right? Now you have a pond with a liner and lilies in pots, right? Even if the nutrients in the water were enough, your plant isn't even getting those- they're in a pot that doesn't exactly have circulating water. If you are planting in a soil medium, they'll get some nutrients from that. I guess you have to ask yourself how nice a plant you want? They'll survive, for some time I would say, without it, but why would you want them just surviving?
Thank you azreno, dax080 and fireant13 - after reading your posts and doing some other searching around the net I've decided to bite the bullet and buy the fertilizer. It just seems like the right thing to do. In all my searching I did find a great site http://www.bonniesplants.com this woman is seriously into her water garden :)
Yes.. you do need to fertilize your lilies to get optimum bloom. NO you dont necessarily have to buy water plant fertilizer. Sometimes I do but I have found that osomcote works just as well.... this was taught to me by a lily hybridizer and he really knows his stuff..
I use several layers of newspaper to make a little pocket about the size of a small matchbox... put about 1 tsp of osmocote in there...fold it closed and squish it down into the edge of the pot... Yea...it take some practice to get the stuff in the pot before the newspaper falls apart but it is much cheaper than Planttabs and maybe even more effective.
charlotte
Gorgeous pond, Charlotte! It's nice to know oscomote works as well as water plant fertilizer.
Osmocote? excellent! would it be ok to put some in my waterlilies now? OR is it too late?
I used aquatic pond fertilizer, in liquid form.. its not supposed to promote algae.. dont get that.. but did try it now i have a totally GREEN pond. :( and NO lily blooms
So.. my question is.. is it too late to do the osmocote now in zone 6, PA?
No it would definately not be too late... I am in zone 7a and I fertilize mine up until the end of July- first of August..
If I understand correctly - the osmocote breaks down in relation to temp...the warmer the water..the quicker it is released and used..I used the one with the lower first number but I dont think that is a critical issue.
Be forewarned that it can be a pain in the posterior to get the little newspaper packets to stay together long enough to get them in the pot before they fall apart.. or course you could lift the lily out instead of trying to do it underwater but that would be too easy :)
It wont hurt your plants or fish (as long as you dont overdo it) and it works just as good as the aquatic stuff and is much cheaper for the season.
I love the Plant Tabs brand of aquatic but its just not readily available here :)
I use miracle grow sticks. Bellie
I use the plant tabs starting in March and stop at the end of July. I also deadhead the old blooms. I also pick off any leaves that look blemished. This photo was taken this past weekend June 24th of 2006.
I also have found if you don't divide your lilies you can just about forget about getting any real blooms. Once the pots become over grown it's impossible to push in the tabs. I also see a big difference in lotus that are fertilized.
I do have some very rubbery livestock feeding dishes that I use to plant water lilies in. If they get pot bound I can cheat and lift the plant up and throw the tabs underneath. I also like the livestock dishes because the plants dont break them. The plants just grow up and out
instead of popping the pot.
I have been using some Aquascape Designs' Aquatic Plant Fertilizer Tabs they are10-14-8. I don't know what they cost because someone donated them to the school pond.
My experience is divide the lilies regularly and fertilize every month from March to July in my zone 6b or 7.
The pond pictured is shallow 10 to 16 inches.
Darlindeb,
How big is your pond? those lillies are sooo beautiful!! bellie
The above picture is a school pond where I volunteer to help with their plants. It has an upper and lower pond with a walkway between the two. The pond is in the center of an enclosed school courtyard. The size is approximately 25X35 and very shallow. The orginal plan was to put the pond in the ground; however, when the volunteers started to dig down there was an old street directly under a few inches of soil. Still determined to get their pond, rock was brought in and the area was built up. The resulting rim of rock makes a nice place to sit. The kids have used it for science projects, math and the kindergarten teacher had her kids pretend to be newspaper reporters and write an article about the pond. The pond was built with grants and volunteers.
I had most of the plants donated. I'm now trying to replace the unnamed water lilies with named varieties. When I divide the plants
the extras are brought to the local water garden society swap meet, given to those who help me or traded through dave's for plants I'm looking for.
My project for next year is to have an area of the pond where we grow things you can eat. For example: 'Water Chestnuts,' 'Aquatic Mint, 'Water Celery,' and maybe a few others.
I also have a small water garden at home about a 1,000 gallons; however, I'd like to rework it because it is cement and the waterfall isn't as "gorgeous" as I need it to be. I also have a bunch of patio ponds where I play with plants. I think all the frogs have moved to my house and that might be causing the frog shortage. LOL
Such a great idea about the little newspaper packs. I have lots of used-to-be plant tabs which have disintegrated with out humidity. Couldn't figure out how to get the powdery stuff into the pots. But this will work great.
thx
jo
I've used the packs and my pond plants have perked up from them. I hope to get another lily bloom, but so far nothing.
Took the easy way out Monday and pushed three plant tabs in the Mrs. Perry D. Slocum tub. This was the second fertilization (two tabs the first time) since the plant went in the tub on May 25th. I have nice leaf growth but no sign of any flowers. Three big leaves sticking up out of the water. Yesterday I had foot surgery and today I am clumping around in one of those funny shoes and cant get in the pond to the Lotus tub for 4 to 6 weeks. :>( Must I promise hubby a new set of golf clubs as an incentive to climb in and fertilize the lotus for me? This is my first lotus and I don't really know what I am doing.
I tried a lotus two years in a row, but no luck; they are so pretty. My pond has a waterfall and someone told me they don't like moving water, whatever the case I finally gave up. I do recommend fertilizing the water lilies though. The year I didn't I had almost no blooms and now I have one plant that has 4 buds at once. I also agree that dividing (or planting them in extra large pots if you want to go a few years without dividing) help promotes blooming as well.
Since I posted this originally I have bought fertilizer tabs and stuck them in the lilly pots (the directions said one tab every 3-4 weeks). It has definately made a difference in the size and number of lilly pads but still no blooms. One lilly looked like it was outgrowing it's pot so I've already transplanted it, but the other seems ok. I'm hoping the heat of summer will bring on some blooms.
I always use Lily Tabs but this year I haven't made time. We are disappointed in the blooms. I always have my pond covered in blooms by now. I'm gonna try to get it done this weekend. I buy mine at a garden center that's sells them individually. They are 15 cents each but they are big ones. About the size of a quarter. Well bigger. Excuse the ball in the picture. I just wanted you to see the size of the tabs.
Tami
Be careful fertilzing those lotus folks... more fertilizer will not necessarily push that plant to bloom this year >>
Even though I have read that lotus like extra fertilization... I have also read in some places that over fertilization is the number one reason that most newbies kill their lotus plants !
I think the tabs are wonderful...just for me - they are not any better than the osomocote - they are more expensive but way more convenient.
c
Thanks Charlotteda, I will take your advice and hold back on any more plant tabs and take a wait and see approach. I didn't want to bust the budget for the golf clubs anyway.
Mary
Does anyone have any ideas about organic fertilizers for water lilies?
My water lily (pink; don't know the name) is in its second year. I get about 8 blossoms a week, but I would like more pads (bigger plant). It's in a very tiny circulating waterfall/pond with a few fish. I'd like to fertilize it, but I only garden organically and haven't been able to find a good organic water fertilizer. It doesn't need division yet. Any suggestions appreciated.
pbtxlady...
this is the comment that concerns me
"It's in a very tiny circulating waterfall/pond with a few fish"
Waterlilies do not like splashing water...most varieties also enjoy a fair amt of space- except for the few dwarf ones.
If the pond is tiny ...how small is the lily container.
You may not be able to get alot of plant in a small pond with a small lily pot..especially if it is a regular sized hardy lily.
I like Black Kow composted manure for an additive in my lily pots each spring.
That's interesting Black Kow in pond plants. I wouldn't have thought of that.
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for the reply. The water in my little feature only falls a couple of inches, so it doesn't seem to bother the water lily too much. But yes, you are right, the pond is tiny--only about 4 feet long-- and there isn't much room for the lily to reach its full potential. I knew that, but they are so gorgeous I just couldn't resist putting one in anyway. :)
Last year (first year) it covered about 3/4 of the pond, up to a foot away from the splash. This year it has bloomed more, but hasn't grown as big. I planted it late last year so I didn't repot it this spring, and I'm sure it needs a boost.
I would never have thought of the manure in the pot either. Thanks for the tip!
Since I put the oscomote packs into my pond plants, the iris has several more leaves and a bloom, and the water lily has a new bud coming up through the surface.
It may need repotting...if so additional ferti wont solve the problem..no harm in taking it out of the pot and seeing how it looks..
There are several small lilies that can do well in smaller settings : Perrys Baby Red is the best I think..but I also have Andreanne, Helvola, Aurora, Chrysantha etc.
Yes. Black Kow has done wonders for my lilies (along with a bit of osmocote along). Realize that Black Kow is a composted manure...dont use the straight powerful stuff and no Black Hen either !!! In a one gallon squat pot I usually put about one handful of the Kow along with my other soil.
I will give it a try--thank you!
Have lots of water lily. Also have koi. The first two years of the pond, I fertilized. This year I did not. No difference in my lily health or blooms so far whatsoever.
Victor
Good lily bloom depends on alot of factors.. also everyones water chemistry is different. The original source water chemistry, rain, fish - number and whether or not they are fed, etc. For me, no fertilizer means very little bloom.
I'm glad your program is working good for you. It will be interesting to see if they continue to prosper in coming years, they may receive enough nutrients in other ways in your pond !
I use miracle grow tree spikes (small ones) but use them in the fall before they hibernate and and again early spring. Happy ponding!! Bellie