How to Quickly and Properly Repot a Water Lily When the Rhizome Has Outgrown Its Container. Plant...
How to quickly and correctly repot a water lily if its rhizome is stuck. Planting water lilies and water lilies.
Caring for water lilies - when to repot a water lily
If you purchased a water lily planted in a container, you need to evaluate the suitability of the container for the water lily. If it's a small pot (1-5 liters), I recommend immediately repotting the water lily (using the transshipment method) into a larger container, adding the required amount of fertilizer. This repotting method doesn't harm the water lily and won't stunt its development, as it won't be damaged. Basically, you carefully remove the developed (rooted) plant from the pot along with the root ball and move it to another, larger container!
If you were sold a mature plant in a fairly large container, you can leave it for 1-2 years without any problems. Many people make the mistake of leaving the plant in a pond for two or more years (in a purchased container) without monitoring the development of the water lily's rhizome. This can cause the plant to outgrow the container or bury itself, resting against the edge of the container. Not receiving sufficient nutrition, it begins to wither (leaves and flowers become smaller, and flowering becomes less abundant).
I recommend monitoring the water lilies annually, and as soon as the rhizome reaches the edge of the pot, either transplant it into a larger container or divide it into several plants and transplant them into different containers. Transplanting water lilies can be done throughout the season, from early spring to late fall, as it doesn't damage the plant. However, dividing water lilies is best done from May to early to mid-August. Dividing damages the water lily's rhizome and requires approximately 2-4 weeks to recover (form a new root system and foliage). If you divide the water lily at the end of the season (the water lily won't have time to strengthen before wintering), the plants may fall out (die).
Planting a Water Lily Rhizome (Division)
The water lily rhizome division should be placed on the surface of the soil (substrate), carefully burying the small thread-like roots and carefully directing them in different directions. If you purchased a water lily division with mature leaves, we also recommend cutting them off at the base of the stem, leaving only the small leaves that emerge directly from the growing point. This will ensure the water lily will more quickly develop thread-like roots, which will, in turn, nourish the main root. Consequently, the plant will expend less energy on the older, larger leaves, allowing it to develop the necessary growth.
Position the water lily division so that the growing point (easy to identify—the part of the water lily's rhizome where the young shoots emerge) is facing the center of the container, and the other end is at the very edge. Important!!! Never bury the main rhizome, especially the growing point of a water lily, with soil—this will eventually lead to rotting and, ultimately, the death of the plant. Also, remember that the water lily's root is positively buoyant, and if left unattached, the plant may float to the surface before it has time to sprout small threadlike roots and anchor itself in the soil. This is especially true in ponds with fish, as they often dig under the soil, searching for food. There are several ways to secure the water lily root: simply place a small stone on top and tie the root to the container (to do this, make a small hole in the bottom of the container and secure the root through it with rope). You can also secure it with stiff wire, making a bracket out of it, and simply pressing the root to the substrate. If you have fish in your pond, we also recommend covering the substrate with a 1-3 cm layer of gravel; this will prevent the fish from digging up the substrate.