How are water lilies cared for?

Cala Flower

They are semi-aquatic plants most loved by all. Its precious spathes (wrongly called flowers), give off a very pleasant aroma. What's more, they can be had both in pots and in the garden, so that they decorate any corner.

The Water lilies, also known as Cleats or Cartridges, are ideal for beginners, since they only need the care that I am going to tell you about below.

How to take care of water lilies?

Inlets

If you want to show off your plants, follow our advice 🙂:

  • Location: they can be both inside and outside the house, as long as they are in a bright area (without direct sun), and protected from frost.
  • Irrigation: very frequent. You need to have the substrate always moist, except in winter.
  • Substrate: it must have good drainage. It is advisable to use black peat mixed with 30% perlite, and also add a layer of about 2 centimeters of expanded clay balls if we are going to have it in a pot.
  • Subscriber: it is advisable to fertilize in spring and summer with liquid or mineral organic fertilizers.
  • Pruning: the leaves and wilted spathes must be removed to avoid the proliferation of fungi and pests.
  • TransplantWhether you want to move to the garden or to a larger pot, which by the way must be done every two or three years, it must be done in spring, when the risk of frost has passed.
  • Multiplication: by seeds, or by division of the rhizome every 2 or 3 years in spring.

What pests and diseases can it have?

Coves in garden

Although it is a very resistant plant, it may have some other problems:

Pests

It can be attacked by snails y slugs, which can be kept under control with natural or chemical remedies.

Management

  • Root rot: If the lower leaves are quickly wilting and yellowing, the roots may be rotting. The treatment will consist of cutting off the withered leaves, and reducing the frequency of watering.
  • Virosis: if the leaves are small, or have green or yellow spots, it is because there is a virus that is attacking it. Unfortunately, the treatment consists of removing the affected plant and treating the healthy ones with anti-aphid insecticides, such as Neem Oil, since these parasites spread viruses.
  • Bacteriosis: If the leaves start to turn yellow and slowly necrotize, the plant has been infected by bacteria. The treatment consists of eliminating the diseased plant.
  • Leaf spots: leaf spots are caused by fungi. Still, treatment often consists of simply cutting off the affected leaves. If it does not improve, then the plant could be treated with systemic fungicides.

Inlets

Water Lilies are plants of exceptional beauty, don't you think? 🙂


2 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Emerald said

    Hi there! I do not know much about plants so I am always investigating. I wanted to add that early last summer the beautiful lilies that I had in a pot started to die, the stems got weak and died, I thought they were rotten roots, I dug it up and found some huge fat gray worms, cleaned it and changed the pot and soil, it continued to die until there was almost nothing left, I found that the worms had spread. I decided to follow an advice found on the internet, I divided the bulbs (I think they are called that), they were a little larger than a clove of garlic and I distributed them in three pots mixing the old soil with the new one and CRUNCHED GARLIC. During the summer the lilies in the three pots I used started coming out very quickly and in December a couple of flowers came out.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Brilliant. Thanks for sharing your experience. It will be of great use for sure. 🙂