Water lily as a houseplant: how to care for it

Water lily as a houseplant: how to care for it

How are water lilies watered?

As the name suggests, water lilies like the element water. They can be poured abundantly. But they shouldn't stand in waterlogging. Mold or rot can quickly develop there, especially in living spaces. Therefore, good drainage and drainage holes in the pot should be ensured.

also read

  • Caring for the water lily properly
  • The water lily: is it poisonous?
  • What is the best way to propagate water lilies?

In a sunny place such as on the windowsill in the living room to the south, water lilies should be checked regularly for dryness of their soil (thumb test). Especially in winter it happens quickly that the earth dries out due to the dry heating air. Water lilies tolerate brief drought. But in the long run this should be avoided.

Brown leaf tips indicate that the air is too dry. If water lilies have dried out a short immersion bath (approx. 10 minutes) for their roots will help. Regularly spraying your leaves with water is also recommended.

Do water lilies need fertilizer?

It is not absolutely necessary to apply fertilizer. Only when the water lily becomes lazy is it important to give it a 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 every three weeks. The fertilizer ensures a rich flower flora.

Should you repot the water lily?

Water lilies need to be repotted if they get too tight. This can be recognized by the tips of the roots that look out of the holes in the pot below. Repotting can be done all year round. The water lily receives new potting soil in the new pot.

Which propagation methods have proven themselves?

Water lilies are easy to propagate. Two methods have proven effective - dividing the roots and sowing:

  • Share: in spring or autumn (never during flowering!)
  • Sow in autumn
  • Exposing semen to cold stimuli
  • Dark germs that germinate after a few days to 4 weeks

Tips & Tricks

Watch out: the water lily is poisonous in all parts. Above all, the rhizomes are full of toxic agents. Therefore, it is best to wear gloves when handling such as repotting.