Caring for your waterlily

Waterlilies are quite delicate. Here are a few ways to make sure they are handled properly and grow to their full potential.

• Your Waterlily must be in at least or greater than 30cm of water.
• Your waterlily must be in full sun for at least 4-5 hours of the day to flower.
• Do not put your water lilies near fountains or waterfalls, they do not like continuously water splashing on them.
• This causes the leaves to rot and the water lily will eventually weaken and die.
• Waterlilies need feeding at least every 6-8 weeks during their growing season.
• Or when you see the waterlily leaves becoming smaller you will know you need to feed them.
• To fertilise water lilies, you must first remove the pot from the pond and push your finger or a stick into the potting mixture and place about 1 teaspoon of slow releasing fertiliser into the hole and cover it. Then carefully place back into the pond.
• Or an easy way is to push 2 fertilizer tablets into the soil.
• Remove spent leaves and flowers from your water lilies; this will encourage growth of new leaves and flowers.
• If you wish to re pot your water lily, use a heavy loam or clay mix (do not use potting mix) add 2 teaspoons of Osmocote slow release fertilizer or you can use 2 fertilizer tablets then top with sand or pebbles to keep the clay from coming out of the pot. These measurements for fertilizer is for a 200mm pot