Water lilies , otherwise also known as water lilies (Nymphaea), are one of the most commonly used aquatic plants in gardens. See whatplanting and growing water lilyin a pond looks like and learn the secretbeautiful flowering of water lilies , and choose the most interesting varieties of water lilies for your water garden.
Water lilies, water lilies - Nymphaea
Water lilies, orwater lilies , are perennials that lose their leaves during the winter. These plants are made of a tuber-like, thick rhizome with numerous roots.The long petioles grow green, round-shaped leaves from the rhizome, heart-shaped or deeply cut at the base, covered with brown spots in some varieties. The flowers of various colors, placed on long stalks, open only on warm days, and in some tropical varieties - at dusk.
Water lilies - varieties
Water lilies are perfectfor ponds, being a great decoration for them. They also help to keep the pond water clean, as their large leaves cast a shadow, thus reducing the growth of algae in the pond. Water lilies take best in moderately sized tanks. After planting, most varieties grow slowly and may not acclimatize in deep reservoirs. Onlyfast-growingwater lily varieties can be planted immediately in a deep tank. Some varieties recommended for large and small tanks are presented below.
You can also download the list of water lily varieties in a printable version:
- Varieties of water lilies for large and small reservoirs (PDF)
Water lilies - planting, cultivation
The position underthe cultivation of water liliesshould be well insolated and sheltered from the wind. Only some varieties can tolerate partial shade, including Carnea, James Brydon, Rosea, or varieties from the Marliacea series. High water temperature is also conducive to abundant flowering of plants.
The best time toto plant water liliesis summer. They can also be planted in late spring, when we are sure that there will be no more frosts. Depending on the growth rate of a given variety, the mycelium is usually planted in containers with a depth of several cm and a width of 30 to 35 cm. If the plants are placed in a deep tank, the containers should be placed on special blocks so that the water layer above the container is between 8 and 15 cm.As the plant grows, remove the blocks and immerse the container deeper.The substrate for planting water liliesshould be a mixture of garden soil, peat and clay in a 1: 1: 3 ratio. They can be enriched with manure or fertilizers (eg Osmocote). To prevent the soil from being washed out of the container and to provide the plant with oxygen access to the roots, it is advisable to line the containers with linen bags.
Water lilies can be plantedalso directly into the water reservoir, lowering the water level in the reservoir before planting to about 30 cm. We raise the water level according to the leaf growth rate. However, if it is not possible to lower the water level, then planting into containers becomes a necessity.
We choose young, freshly purchased plants for planting. Older waterlilies (3 - 4 years old) should be divided before planting, paying attention to the presence of buds. As the plants grow during the growing season, it is a good idea to use nourishment by placing a bag of slow-acting fertilizer in the substrate every six weeks.Feeding must be moderate enough not to affect the color of the water or increase the growth of algae.
From the small containers in whichwe grow water lilies , remove decayed leaves and sediments (in large reservoirs that accumulate less organic matter, we do not remove them, because they are a source of compounds nutrients for plants). All tanks, regardless of their size, should be cleaned before winter.
Water lilies - wintering
Mycelia winter bestin the environment in which they grow and draining the pond water before the onset of winter is not a necessity. Plants growing in large reservoirs overwinter under the ice. Ponds lined with foil for ponds should be tightly covered to prevent the foil from being damaged by the layer of ice. However, the tank should not be covered too early, as this may result in oxygen deficiency and plant rot. Draining the water is a must when plants grow in small tanks made of barrels or bowls. Frost resistant varieties of water lilies , after draining the water, can be left in the container. They should then be covered with bubble wrap, polystyrene, straw mats or a layer of leaves, and the tank itself should be covered with foil to protect against rainwater.Cultivars of water lilies sensitive to low temperatures(mainly varieties with yellow and orange flowers, as well as miniature varieties) should be kept in containers placed in bright and moist greenhouses at a temperature of about 5 degrees.
Prepared on the basis of: Flowers, No. 2/1998, pp. 4, 5, 29, and Wielka Encyklopedia Ogrodnictwa, Muza SA, Warsaw 1994, pp. 248-249.
