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Hardy Water Lilies |
 While it is possible to satisfactorily move the majority of
plants either in the spring or autumn, May and early
June are the only really safe months in which to divide and
transplant water-lilies.
Especially when growing in artificial ponds, nymphaeas, the
proper name for water-lilies, tend to exhaust the soil after four
or five years and this is reflected in the foliage becoming dis-
coloured and stunted, while the flowers produced are fewer in
number, smaller and of poor colour. In addition, after a few
years, growth becomes overcrowded and the quite attractive
leaves are not seen to advantage and they do in fact, hide the
blooms which are then prevented from opening properly.
Plants from sunken baskets are liable to use all the soil good-
ness much quicker and division of these every three years or
so, should be the grower's aim. It is, of course, possible to
feed such plants by mixing equal quantities of bone meal and
clay with water and placing rounded clumps of this mixture
into the soil close to the crown of the lilies. In this connection
it is well to remember that water-lilies need plenty of phos-
phates so that it is a good plan to add coarse bone meal to the
loam in which the rhizomes or roots are being planted.
The procedure of dividing plants is not complicated, the pool
must first be emptied either by a natural outlet or some other
means. Lifting established water-lilies is sometimes a difficult
task owing to the spreading roots which often become a tangled
mass. It may be necessary to cut some of these roots, care
being taken not to damage any crowns. After lifting, the roots
should be washed clean and then either cut with a sharp spade
or knife, each portion to be replanted consisting of a strong
shoot and several inches of rhizome. Always discard the old
worn-out parts of the roots but retain the fibrous roots on the
portions to be planted up again. As far as possible these roots
should be spread outwards and down, the question of depth
being decided by the old soil mark.
Whether planting direct into the bottom of the pool or into
baskets to be sunk, the best rooting medium consists of. heavy
loam rather on the clayey side, but the addition of sand' is, of
course, unnecessary, since there is no need to try to prevent the
soil caking. Water-lilies will normally grow well in fibrous
loam without the addition of manure, although old cow
manure can be added to plants in baskets with great advantage.
Artificial fertilisers should be altogether avoided.
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