The swamp iris, which is popularly known as the water lily, can grow both in the garden pond and as a plant in a pot at home. It is fully recommended for beginners. But how does she behave in care? What requirements does she have to stay he althy?
How do you care for a water lily as a houseplant?
Water lilies as houseplants require regular watering without waterlogging, a sunny location, occasional fertilizing and, if necessary, repotting. Propagation occurs by dividing the roots or sowing. Caution: Water lilies are poisonous - wear gloves when handling.
How to water water lilies?
As the name suggests, water lilies like the element of water. They can be watered abundantly. But they shouldn't stand in waterlogged water. Mold or rot can quickly form there, especially in living spaces. Therefore, good drainage (€18.00 on Amazon) and drainage holes in the pot should be ensured.
In a sunny spot, such as on the windowsill in the south-facing living room, water lilies should be checked regularly for dryness of their soil (thumb test). Especially in winter, the earth quickly dries out due to the dry heating air. Water lilies tolerate short-term drought. But this should be avoided in the long term.
Brown leaf tips indicate that the air is too dry. If water lilies are very dry, a short immersion bath (approx. 10 minutes) will help their roots. It is also recommended to regularly spray your leaves with water.
Do water lilies need fertilizer?
Application of fertilizer is not absolutely necessary. Only when the water lily becomes lazy to bloom does it become important to add fertilizer. It can, but does not have to, take place once a week between March and September. In winter, water lilies should not be fertilized more often than once every three weeks. The fertilizer ensures a rich flower bloom.
Should you repot the water lily?
Water lilies need to be repotted if they get too crowded. This can be recognized by the root tips sticking out of the holes in the pot. Repotting can be done all year round. In the new pot, the water lily receives new potting soil.
Which propagation methods have proven successful?
Water lilies are easy to propagate. Two methods have proven successful – dividing the roots and sowing:
- Share: in spring or autumn (never during flowering!)
- Sowing in autumn
- Expose seeds to cold stimulus
- Dark germs that germinate after a few days to 4 weeks
Tips & Tricks
Attention: The water lily is poisonous in all parts. The rhizomes in particular are full of toxic substances. It is therefore best to wear gloves when handling things such as repotting.
