Methods and Precautions for Growing Water Lilies
Today's lifestyle tip is about the methods and precautions for growing water lilies and the tutorial on soil-less cultivation of green plants and flowers. Let's take a look together.
Water lilies are perennial aquatic plants that offer a unique charm whether potted or planted in a pond. So, what are the good methods for growing water lilies? What precautions need to be taken during cultivation? Please keep your questions in mind and read on with me!
Water Lily Cultivation Methods (Basic Knowledge):
Best propagation time: The propagation period for water lilies is between March and April. Tropical seeds are usually a month later, with May to June being the suitable period. This is when new sprouts from old bulbs are about to occur, and it is important not to exceed the end of June.
Best growing soil: Water lilies are not very picky about soil quality, pH values between 6 and 8 are suitable for normal growth, but they prefer rich organic loamy soil.
Growth humidity requirements: The optimal water depth for water lilies is 25 to 30 cm, and it should not exceed 80 cm. During the hot season, it is important to keep the pot water clean, and if the water becomes murky, remove the debris and replace with fresh water promptly.
Best growing temperature: The ideal sowing temperature for water lilies is 25 to 30°C. In winter, they should be stored in a warm room to survive, with the minimum temperature around 13°C. Cold-tolerant water lilies can survive as long as the temperature is above 0°C.
Best lighting for growth: Light is the most crucial factor for growing water lilies. The presence or absence of light determines whether water lilies can be grown successfully. The more light and warmer the climate, the better the water lilies will grow, and the shorter the dormant period. So, if you want to grow water lilies, you need to first assess whether you can provide a place with adequate lighting.
Precautions for Growing Water Lilies:
Applying fertilizer:
(1) For pond cultivation, the water should be drained in early spring, the pond should be fertilized, then refilled with new pond mud before watering. When fertilizing, apply long-acting fertilizer or root fertilizer every one and a half to two months, about 3 to 5 cm away from the bulb, but do not add after the end of September, as it will be approaching autumn and the water lilies will enter the dormant period. Adding fertilizer could cause root rot.
(2) For pot cultivation, the pot should be at least 40 cm in diameter and 60 cm in depth. In the spring equinox, when dividing and repotting, add decomposed bean cake residue or bone meal, hoof slices, or other fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium as a base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot. The rhizome should be padded with at least 30 cm of fertile river mud, covered with soil until the top bud is submerged, and then placed in a缸 with a water depth of 40 to 50 cm. During the hot season, keep the water layer clean, remove the remnants after flowering, and fertilize as needed.
Watering tips: In summer, water depth should be about 25 cm and maintained at this level. During the hot season, it is important to keep the pot water clean, and if the water becomes murky, remove the debris and replace with fresh water promptly.
Pruning tips: Remove the spent flowers and withered leaves after flowering to maintain the plant's beauty. Normally, excess leaves can be pruned.
Propagation tips:
1. Division propagation: This is the main method of propagation for water lilies. In early spring, from March to April, when the buds are just starting to sprout, dig up the rhizome and divide it into several pieces with a sharp knife, ensuring that each piece has at least two full buds and plant them in pond or缸 mud.
2. Seed propagation: Store the black, oval, plump seeds in clean water in a sealed container until the following spring. Soak in water at 35°C to 30°C, changing the water daily, and the seeds will germinate after two weeks. When the seedlings are 3 to 4 cm tall, they can be planted in the pond with sufficient water depth.
Potting soil replacement: Replace the potting soil every spring equinox, in conjunction with division.
Disease and pest control:
(1) Rot disease: Remove the affected plants and spray with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 600 times liquid mixed with a 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times liquid.
(2) Leaf rot disease: Clear the diseased and residual plants at harvest and bury them deep or burn them to reduce the source of fungi. In the early stages of the disease, spray with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 800 times liquid or a 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800 times liquid or a 30% basic copper sulfate suspension 500 times liquid, spraying every 10 days for 2 to 3 times.
(3) Anthracnose disease: Collect and dispose of diseased plant material during the growing season. Remove affected plants and spray with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 600 times liquid, a 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times liquid, a 36% thiophanate-methyl suspension 500 times liquid, a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 1500 times liquid, or an 80% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800 times liquid, spraying every 10 days for 2 to 3 times.
(4) Small leaf beetle: This is a devastating pest. Adults overwinter in vegetation near the pond edge, lay eggs on the leaves in late spring, and can produce 2 to 3 generations per season. During this time, rinse the leaves with water, and if larvae are present, spray with 1200 times liquid of Sevin.
(5) Water lilyaphis: This pest affects many soft-leaved aquatic plants. In summer, it invades leaves and flower stems, causing color changes in the flowers. The eggs overwinter on Prunus species, especially on plum and hawthorn trees, and occasionally on cherry trees. Avoid planting large numbers of Prunus species near the water or rinse these host plants with tar during winter, or rinse the leaves with a water jet, and spray insecticides.
(6) Snails: When affected, mix carbofuran or dichlorvos with sawdust, put it in a cloth bag, tie it to the leaf stalk, let the bag float on the water surface, and let the water波动 to disperse the pesticide, killing the pests. Using biological control methods is very effective; placing 5 kg of loach in 1000 m2 of water surface can effectively prevent the spread and overflow of pests.
(7) Algae: Spray with 0.3% to 0.5% copper sulfate.
(8) Aphids: Affected leaves can be sprayed with 1000 to 1200 times liquid of dichlorvos, or 2000 to 2500 times liquid of 50% dimethoate emulsion.
Insights into Growing Water Lilies:
(1) Water lilies are plants that thrive in strong light, prefer well-ventilated, warm, and calm water surfaces, and require clean water quality. Otherwise, the leaves will rot. If placed in a shaded and poorly ventilated area for maintenance, algae easily grow on the water surface, causing the plant to grow weakly, with only leaves and no flowers.
(2) For pot cultivation, choose a pot with an opening facing outward. Leaves facing outward grow better than those facing inward, and the wider the pot opening, the larger the flowers (not related to the size of the pot bottom), and the deeper the pot, the longer the flowering interval.
(3) As temperatures drop in autumn and winter, water lilies also enter a dormant period. It is best not to disturb them during this time, except to fill the water when it is low. Varieties with spotted leaves have a longer dormant period than those without, and light-colored varieties have a longer dormant period than dark-colored ones.
(4) Pay attention to potting soil replacement and timely pest and disease control!
The above methods and precautions for growing water lilies and the tutorial on soil-less cultivation are for reference only.