Fertilizer:
Plants, like most living things,
simply love to eat, and water
lilies like to eat a lot. They
are almost gluttonous in their
appetites for food and should be
fertilized generously according
to the fertilizer directions.
Water lily tablets offer a
convenient form for fertilizing
water lilies without the mess of
granular fertilizers. EcoTabs feed aquatic plants for 30-45
days and contain a 15-5-10
nutrient ratio. Low phosphorus
helps keep the water clear.
Maintenance on any water lily
-- hardy or tropical -- is
minimal. If the three simple
cultural rules have been
followed, then little else
should be necessary to keep them
healthy and flourishing. A
couple things to keep in mind
though; water lilies do not like
moving water or water from a
fountain or waterfall splashing
on their leaves. They do not
like to be harassed by chewing
or sucking insects, (or trampled
by a large canine), so if any
sign of insect infestation is
evident, try to identify the
offending pest and use
appropriate treatment.
Also, water lilies are
constantly producing new leaves
throughout the season, and the
old ones, like spent flowers,
die. Removal of the spent
flowers and leaves is desirable
from an aesthetic and ecological
perspective. It just looks nicer
when yellowing leaves and
decaying flowers are not present
in your pond. And getting rid of
any decaying plant debris is
always good practice when
maintaining a balanced ecosystem
pond.
