I have a small barrel pond, which seems to be doing well but unsure about the water lily. How do they look? The leaves are still growing from the root but it doesn't look that pretty. Any ideas or help would be much appreciated.
Does it have plenty of light? Water lilies don't like shadier sites generally, and don't do so well if so. They have manky leaves, just as many plants do, and you can remove the dead ones. Were they on the plant over winter? Sometimes the old leaves remain. However, they also need fed. How long have you had it and has it been fed at all?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Does it have plenty of light? Water lilies don't like shadier sites generally, and don't do so well if so. They have manky leaves, just as many plants do, and you can remove the dead ones. Were they on the plant over winter? Sometimes the old leaves remain. However, they also need fed. How long have you had it and has it been fed at all?
Thanks for the quick reply. To answer your questions…
- Yes, it's on a south facing fence with no shade - Only planted about a month ago and when I did i planted in a container with a couple of fertiliser balls.
I think if you have fresh new foliage coming through, it'll be ok. They can take a bit of time to settle in, so it may not do much this year at all. My daughters got a tiny one for me about 5 years ago, and it took a couple of years to do that and flower well. It got moved again this spring when I made a bigger pond, and it's just started flowering in the last few days The only problem you may have is that there's quite a lot of planting in there which might crowd it a bit, but you can see how it all goes in another year.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think if you have fresh new foliage coming through, it'll be ok. They can take a bit of time to settle in, so it may not do much this year at all. My daughters got a tiny one for me about 5 years ago, and it took a couple of years to do that and flower well. It got moved again this spring when I made a bigger pond, and it's just started flowering in the last few days The only problem you may have is that there's quite a lot of planting in there which might crowd it a bit, but you can see how it all goes in another year.
Thanks for that. Really appreciate your input. I'll keep an eye on things
I planted a small lily in my little pond. The first 2 years it grew very little, just 2-3 new leaves, same last year. I don't know what fertiliser you have given yours but I was looking at the puddle plants website and saw these were recommended for lilies- https://www.puddleplants.co.uk/product/osmocote-exact-5-6-tablets/ They are widely available. The 5-6 bit in the description means they'll last 5-6 months which should be enough for 1 season. I pushed one into the compost in April and this year I've got plenty more leaves so hoping I'll get a flower or 2 soon. I did buy some cheaper plant fertilizer balls initially, but they seemed to have no effect on any of the plants.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I planted a small lily in my little pond. The first 2 years it grew very little, just 2-3 new leaves, same last year. I don't know what fertiliser you have given yours but I was looking at the puddle plants website and saw these were recommended for lilies- https://www.puddleplants.co.uk/product/osmocote-exact-5-6-tablets/ They are widely available. The 5-6 bit in the description means they'll last 5-6 months which should be enough for 1 season. I pushed one into the compost in April and this year I've got plenty more leaves so hoping I'll get a flower or 2 soon. I did buy some cheaper plant fertilizer balls initially, but they seemed to have no effect on any of the plants.
Ah, that's good to know. I think the fertiliser balls are working as the leaves are growing each day. I think it was more so that they didn't look very nice or sit flat the top of the surface. Never had a lily (or water feature) before so all new to me.
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However, they also need fed. How long have you had it and has it been fed at all?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
- Yes, it's on a south facing fence with no shade
- Only planted about a month ago and when I did i planted in a container with a couple of fertiliser balls.
My daughters got a tiny one for me about 5 years ago, and it took a couple of years to do that and flower well. It got moved again this spring when I made a bigger pond, and it's just started flowering in the last few days
The only problem you may have is that there's quite a lot of planting in there which might crowd it a bit, but you can see how it all goes in another year.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The first 2 years it grew very little, just 2-3 new leaves, same last year.
I don't know what fertiliser you have given yours but I was looking at the puddle plants website and saw these were recommended for lilies-
https://www.puddleplants.co.uk/product/osmocote-exact-5-6-tablets/
They are widely available. The 5-6 bit in the description means they'll last 5-6 months which should be enough for 1 season.
I pushed one into the compost in April and this year I've got plenty more leaves so hoping I'll get a flower or 2 soon.
I did buy some cheaper plant fertilizer balls initially, but they seemed to have no effect on any of the plants.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.