How to Grow Yellow Water Lilies

Yellow water lilies grow in water on a long stem set in soil. Gardeners often grow them in pots or containers and set them in a pond or water feature to show off their flowers. The flowers bloom above the water’s surface, creating a striking display for the lucky observer. By following a few guidelines, these lovely blossoms can be added to your backyard pond or water garden and enjoyed for many years to come.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Pot
• Soil
• Aquatic fertilizer tablets
• Pea gravel
• Bricks

1. Obtain a plastic pot that will hold at least 3-1/2 gallons. Make sure that the pot has holes in the bottom where water can move through.

2. Fill a pot with clay or loam soil, leaving 2 to 3 inches of space at the top. Put the yellow water lily plant in the soil. Place the rhizome at a 45-degree angle on one side of the pot. Avoid covering the eye or offshoot of the rhizome with soil.

3. Place two to three aquatic fertilizer tablets around the rhizome. Cover the soil with about 1-1/2 inches of pea gravel. Avoid covering the eye or offshoot of the rhizome with the gravel.

4. Water the plant until the soil is completely moist and set it in your water feature or pond. Place the pot about 24 inches under the surface of the water. Place bricks under the pot if necessary to achieve the proper depth. Make certain the plant will receive at least six hours of sunlight per day.

5. Place the the pots at a lower depth in the pond or water feature as the plant starts to grow. Remove any bricks necessary to lower the depth. Avoid placing the pot more than 5-1/4 feet from the surface.