Lily Ponds

Lily ponds are beautiful and provide a nice home for fish, sheltering them from the sun and predators. There are some maintenance issues to be aware of with water lilies, however. Like all plants, lilies have their own special needs.

Facts About Lily Ponds

Lily ponds need to have some special considerations taken into account for these plants to thrive. First off, water lilies need rich soil to live. Four parts top soil is best mixed with one part cow manure. The soil will need to go in a pot of some kind with holes punched in it for water flow into the soil. PVC pipes cut in half length wise and drilled with holes make great lily planters, and will last a nice long time. (Make sure to get black ones so they can be more easily hidden.)

Oak leaves placed around the lining of the planter pot before you put in the soul will act as a great filter to keep dirt from seeping out into the pond too badly and will help stabilize the PH level of a pond. After the lilies are planted, the pot they are in can be submerged.

Lily Growth

When you first buy a lily, it may be too small to float at the top of a pond. Be careful not to submerge it too deep right at the outset. Place the lily planter on something, like a pile of wood, so that it is no more than 4 inches from the pond surface. Once the leaves float on the top, submerge it more and more until the planter can be placed at the bottom.