How to Plant a Water Lily in a Container to Brighten Up Your Pond

2023-04-28
How to Plant a Water Lily in a Container to Brighten Up Your Pond
Project Overview
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Even a small water feature can instantly make your yard look more magical, and a few water lily plants (Nymphaea spp.) floating on the surface can make a pond look downright dreamy. These aquatic plants grow from tubers planted under water, sending up stems with rounded leaves and colorful, star-shaped blossoms that float on the surface.

It's best to plant water lilies in containers, whether you have a natural or artificial pond, or even just a small water garden. A container prevents the plant from growing through the pond liner or from growing too large and taking over your pond. Any variety of water lily can be grown in a pot because these plants will only grow to be the size of the container they are in. Follow these simple steps to plant a water lily in a container to add to your water garden.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 pair of pruning shears

Materials

  • 1 wide, shallow container
  • 1 large piece of burlap to fit container
  • 1 bag garden soil
  • 1 package aquatic fertilizer pellets
  • 1 water lily tuber
  • 1 bag pea gravel

Instructions

  1. Select a Container

    Use a wide and shallow container. A good size is 18 inches wide by at least 10 inches deep. The tuber, which is similar to the rhizome of an iris, grows horizontally. You can use a container with or without drainage holes. If there are drainage holes, line the pot with burlap to keep the soil in the container. Soil that leaches out can cloud the water in your pond.

  2. Fill Container with Soil

    Use a heavy bagged soil intended for use in the garden, not a fluffy potting soil that will float out of the container. Avoid soil mixes with peat, vermiculite, or perlite for the same reason. Enrich the soil with aquatic fertilizer pellets made especially for the task. Push them into the soil before you plant.

  3. Clean Up Plants

    Before planting water lily tubers in your container, remove old leaves and thick, fleshy old roots with pruning shears. Then, more of the plant's energy can go toward growing new roots, leaves, stems, and blooms. Leave only emerging leaves and buds and the newer, hairlike roots.

  4. Plant Tubers

    Plant the tuber against the side of the pot, with the growing tip pointing upward (at about a 45 degree angle) and toward the center of the pot. The cut end should be deeper in the pot and the growing end of the water lily tuber should stick out about an inch above the soil surface.

  5. Add Gravel

    Cover the soil with about a half-inch layer of pea gravel or other small pebbles to help hold the soil in the container. If you want the gravel to be less visible from above the water, use dark colored rocks.

  6. Place Pot in the Water

    The planted pot should be lowered into the pond at an angle to allow any trapped air to escape. Set the base of the pot 12 to 18 inches deep. The leaves will float to the surface. If the pond is deeper than 18 inches and doesn't have built-in planting ledges, support the pot with rocks to keep it at about that depth.

Related Article

How to Plant and Grow Coleus Plants for Their Gorgeous Leaves

How to Plant and Grow Coleus Plants for Their Gorgeous Leaves

These coleus plant care tips will give you plenty of stunning foliage to enjoy in both sun or shade.
How and When to Cut Back Mums for the Best Blooms

How and When to Cut Back Mums for the Best Blooms

Use these tips to pinch and cut back mums at the right times to get the most flowers.
Are Pansies Perennials That Will Come Back After Winter?

Are Pansies Perennials That Will Come Back After Winter?

Grow pansies as perennials or annuals to provide color during cool spring and fall weather. Plus get tips on when to plant pansies and how to grow them from seed.
How to Plant and Grow Cup Plant

How to Plant and Grow Cup Plant

Follow this easy guide to plant and grow cup plant, a tall North American native perennial that attracts birds and pollinators.
How to Plant and Grow Milkweed

How to Plant and Grow Milkweed

The main food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars, milkweed also attracts lots of other pollinators. Learn how to grow this pretty native plant, deal with pests, choose the best types of milkweed, and what companion plants to grow with it.
How to Plant and Grow Bush Honeysuckle

How to Plant and Grow Bush Honeysuckle

Also called diervilla, bush honeysuckle is an easy-care native shrub that attracts pollinators with cheerful yellow flowers.
How to Plant and Grow Florida Anise

How to Plant and Grow Florida Anise

Florida anise is a Southeastern native shrub that is gaining popularity for good reason; it’s an easy-to-grow, shade-loving shrub with year-round garden interest.
10 Stunning Types of Magnolia Trees and Shrubs for Your Landscape

10 Stunning Types of Magnolia Trees and Shrubs for Your Landscape

There is a type of magnolia tree or shrub for every landscape. Use this guide to choose the best magnolia for your garden.
How to Plant and Grow Cranberry Hibiscus

How to Plant and Grow Cranberry Hibiscus

The burgundy foliage of cranberry hibiscus is welcome in areas with full sun and plenty of heat. This guide includes planting and care tips to grow cranberry hibiscus in your garden.
Expert Tips for Growing and Designing With Beautiful Boxwood

Expert Tips for Growing and Designing With Beautiful Boxwood

With our boxwood garden ideas, you'll create durable changes to your landscaping. Boxwoods, a type of evergreen, are an elegant addition to a formal garden. Learn how to care for boxwood, so that your boxwood garden thrives.
19 Rabbit and Deer-Resistant Container Plants for Your Garden

19 Rabbit and Deer-Resistant Container Plants for Your Garden

These rabbit and deer-resistant container plants don’t usually attract furry four-legged creatures for a snack or meal.
How to Harvest Mint, Dry Mint, and Store Mint

How to Harvest Mint, Dry Mint, and Store Mint

Learn how to harvest mint to keep plants more manageable and gather fresh mint leaves for cooking, drying, and storing!
How and When to Harvest Peas at Their Peak

How and When to Harvest Peas at Their Peak

How and when to harvest peas depends on the type. Find out how to time your harvest right for each type of pea, and get tips for plucking pods without damaging the plant.
Is Your Outdoor Plant Dead or Dormant? 5 Easy Ways to Tell

Is Your Outdoor Plant Dead or Dormant? 5 Easy Ways to Tell

Not sure if a garden plant is dead or dormant after the winter? These tips well help you tell the difference.
Liquid vs. Granular Fertilizer: Which One Is Better for Your Plants?

Liquid vs. Granular Fertilizer: Which One Is Better for Your Plants?

Take the mystery out of feeding your plants by learning the pros and cons of liquid vs. granular fertilizer. Find out how and when to best apply both types of fertilizers.
How to Prevent Powdery Mildew on Squash Plants for a Healthy Crop

How to Prevent Powdery Mildew on Squash Plants for a Healthy Crop

Learn what you can do to protect powdery mildew on squash plants and stop an infection before it gets out of hand.
How to Get Rid of Weeds in Flower Beds—and Stave Off New Ones

How to Get Rid of Weeds in Flower Beds—and Stave Off New Ones

Unwanted plants among your treasured blooms can ruin the whole effect. But with the right tools and techniques, you can eliminate the invaders.
4 Grass Alternatives for Yards with Major Curb Appeal

4 Grass Alternatives for Yards with Major Curb Appeal

Gravel, artificial turf, groundcover plants, and large planting beds are traditional grass lawn alternatives. Pick one for your yard from our list.
How to Use a Weed Whacker to Fly Through Your Landscaping Chores

How to Use a Weed Whacker to Fly Through Your Landscaping Chores

This guide will help you use a weed whacker efficiently and safely to accomplish weed removal, edging, trimming, and other landscaping tasks
How to Plant and Grow Horsetail

How to Plant and Grow Horsetail

Horsetail is a water-loving plant that looks stunning almost anywhere—as long as you take measures to control it.