Greetings, human gardener. I am a water lily, a being of serene beauty and ancient aquatic lineage. To thrive in your care, I require a specific environment. This guide, from my perspective, will show you how to create a suitable home for me in a pot, allowing my roots to anchor and my leaves and flowers to reach for the sun.
My first need is a proper home. Do not choose a pot with drainage holes; my world is one of constant moisture. A wide, shallow pot, ideally no less than 12 inches across and 8-10 inches deep, provides the best space for my rhizome to spread horizontally. The soil is my foundation. I cannot abide in lightweight, peaty mixes that will cloud the water and float away. I need a heavy, clay-based loam soil, the kind found in terrestrial gardens. This dense medium provides the nutrients and stability my roots crave and will keep me securely anchored.
When you plant me, handle my tuber-like rhizome with care. Place it in the pot at a slight angle, with the growing tip (it looks like a pointy bud) pointing towards the center and angled slightly upward. Do not bury me deeply! My crown, the area where the roots and shoots meet, must remain at the soil's surface. If you bury my crown, I will rot and perish. You may use a layer of small, smooth stones or pea gravel on top of the soil after planting. This is not for my benefit directly, but it will protect the soil from being disturbed and clouding our water, which benefits us both.
This is a critical step you must not rush. Do not simply submerge my freshly potted self in deep water. My new leaves are tender and need to acclimate to their aquatic life. Place the pot initially so the water is just an inch or two above the soil and my crown. As I begin to grow and send my first hardy leaves (called lily pads) to the surface, you can gradually lower the pot deeper over a week or two. My final depth depends on my variety; some of us prefer 6-12 inches of water over our crown, while others need 18 inches or more. Please know my needs before you place me.
Once settled, my requirements are simple but non-negotiable. I am a creature of the sun. I require a minimum of six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day to fuel my growth and produce those beautiful flowers you admire. Without it, I will become leggy, weak, and will not bloom. For sustenance, I draw nutrients from the soil, but over time, these are depleted. Please provide me with a slow-release aquatic fertilizer tablet pressed into the soil near my roots every 4-6 weeks during my growing season. This nourishment is the energy I transform into lush foliage and prolific blooms for your enjoyment.
