Before you begin, it is crucial to understand our fundamental requirements. We are water lilies (Nymphaea), and our survival and blooming potential depend on specific conditions. Our roots crave a stable, nutrient-rich, and heavy soil to anchor ourselves firmly. We are heavy feeders, requiring a steady supply of nutrients to produce our magnificent leaves and flowers. Furthermore, we need ample space for our rhizomes (our horizontal, root-like stems) to grow and spread. The depth at which you place us is also paramount; it must correspond to our specific variety, as some of us are suited for deeper water while others thrive in shallower conditions. Planting us directly into gravel at the bottom of your pre-formed pond is a common mistake—it offers no nutrients and allows our roots to drift, causing us immense stress and likely leading to our demise.
The first step is to select an appropriate home for our roots. A wide, shallow, and sturdy planting container is ideal. Avoid small, deep pots, as they restrict the natural, spreading growth of our rhizomes. A container approximately 30-45 cm (12-18 inches) in diameter and 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) deep is perfect for most of us. The container must have no drainage holes, as we require a constantly saturated environment. Next, fill this container with a heavy, loamy soil. Do not use lightweight potting mixes with perlite or vermiculite, as these will float away and cloud your pond water. A special aquatic planting soil is best, but a heavy topsoil with no additives or fertilizers will also work. We need this dense soil to provide weight and stability.
Now, for the most critical part: positioning our rhizome correctly. First, create a mound of soil in the center of your prepared container. Gently place our rhizome on top of this mound, angling it at about a 45-degree angle with the growing tip (the end where the leaves emerge) pointing towards the center of the pot and slightly upwards. The growing tip must remain above the soil surface; burying it will cause it to rot, which is fatal for us. Spread our existing roots down the sides of the soil mound. Then, carefully fill the rest of the container with soil, firming it gently around the rhizome and roots to eliminate large air pockets. Leave the growing tip exposed.
To prevent the soil from washing out into your pristine pond water and to deter curious fish from disturbing our roots, you must top-dress the soil surface. A layer of clean, washed pea gravel or small aquatic stones, about 2-3 cm (1 inch) thick, is perfect. Carefully pour the gravel over the entire soil surface, being especially cautious not to bury the growing tip of our rhizome. Before placing us into the pond, it is beneficial to slowly lower the container into a separate container of water, such as a large bucket, allowing the soil to become fully saturated and any air bubbles to escape. This helps minimize the initial cloudiness in your main pond.
Finally, you must introduce us to the pond at the correct depth. Do not immediately place us at our final, deepest location. This can shock our systems, as our new leaves need to grow rapidly to reach the surface for photosynthesis. Initially, place our container on the top ledge or shallow shelf of your pre-formed pond liner, where the water is just deep enough to cover the crown of our plant by 15-20 cm (6-8 inches). This allows our leaves to easily reach the surface. As we establish and send up new leaves, you can gradually lower the container over a period of a week or two until we reach our ultimate planting depth, which for most hardy water lilies is between 30-60 cm (12-24 inches) below the water's surface.
