Welcome. More folks will respond. I think 4 feet may be a little too deep. Why not use a cynder block to raise the pot some.

The trick with planting lilies in deep water is getting to it early. And I mean when they are still root stock. Once a Lilly starts to grow green you have to plant it with the leaf above the surface of the water. If your ponds depth is 4' right up to the edge you will have to plant them right by the edge and let them spared out into the water naturally. And don't worry they will. Just as a heads up though, if you have a lot of critters in the area you may want to fence off the new lillies until they propagate a bit.

Thanks for the feedback. Thats a good idea about the fence. Will all the hardy lilies work in my pond, or are there certain ones that grow best in deeper water?
Thanks

Yep, many hardy waterlily varieties will cope fine in four foot of water. Bear in mind, at that depth its going to be a bit tricky to reach them to trim them when they need sorting out.

Bear in mind also, there are many varieties very unsuitable for large ponds which have growth and spreading rates which will choke a pond rapidly and become a serious long term liability.

Not surprising, you find these coarse varieties being dumped on the market very cheap by folk oh so glad to get rid of them.

Bottom end of the market places like Americanponders or Walmarts are the sort of place to go, if you are looking for such awful plants as odorata hybrids being fobbed off if cheap is the priority

If you want to find really suitable plants, check out the specialist collectors who list on ebay, to find the really good stuff.

Absolutely no need to be stuck with pricey plants fobbed off by local resellers or nurseries offering iffy plants from iffy unknown ponds at outrageous prices

Please note that Mr. Davis was banned from American Ponders for harassment of other members and disregard what he says about that forum being bottom end of the market where you will get awful plants fobbed off cheap.

You can get wonderful plants free or cheap from members at the exchange forum there.

Mr. Davis also sells on eBay so that is why he is saying you have to go there to get really good stuff.

It is true that some are more aggressive growers than others and some should not be turned loose in a mud bottomed pond but the negative remarks about another forum and the advertising of eBay as the only source for quality plants wasn't necessary.

Amen,buyorsell888

buyorsell's comments are entirely false and unsubstatiated slander. There is no evidence of malicious behaviour that exists.

Other than the unsubstantiated false claims of folk who have a history of making false and misleading statements intended to slander others.

Ebay is an excellent source of contact with experienced vendors offering a good choice at a good price

Odorata hybrids are awful plants, their self evident growth rates destroy large ponds.

Credit where its due. Americanponders or Walmarts are the sort of place to go, if you are looking for such awful plants as odorata hybrids being fobbed off if cheap is the priority.

Its where folk go to find CHEAP stuff

Thanks for more comments on my pond plants. I can see there's alittle fricton on where to buy and where good lilies can be purchased? As a NEWBE, a person who has no knowledge of what is being talked about,I can only read and set and wonder.

Waterlilies come onto the market in all sorts of places.

Buyorsell tries to plug her own self interest, Americanponders, ebay listings and merchandise from a local garden centre by advertising, using the ebay name buyorsell on gardenweb

Needless to say, if you want cheap plants being dumped at the cheap end of the market, credit where its due, cheap can be found. But, it might turn out to be something very nasty.

Not to detract from the folk who do have good stuff, and offer it fair and square

Which is why I like shopping on ebay, a market that is open and not subject to iffy resellers pushing iffy plants from iffy ponds or moderators condoning rackateering.

I can find experienced folk offering interesting stuff, some great collectors have listed on ebay and offered goodies such as darmera, ensata iris, vastly superior choice of hardy and tropical waterlilies, lotus, marginal plants at very modest prices. Direct.

There are some great nurseries, out there too, Bennetts, Stapeleys, Perry's, all rather few and far between, well worth a once in a lifetime trip.

However here and now, ebay makes life a lot easier, where folk who really do know them and grow them, can list their stuff. I don't mind buying stuff there, especially among folk who have proven to be reliable

I don't have any comment on sources but in an earthen pond hardy lilys can be established at 3 to 4 feet. If deeper water suits them they will find that depth as time goes by. The limit for planting anything would be 10 feet. Not much would grow deeper than that. Sandy

If this isn't a carefully aimed stab at AP I don't what is.

Ebay is certainly NOT one of the best places to purchase water lilies. You never know what you'll get. Unless you are Ebay savy and can wade through to good sellers, you're gambling at best. If a person doesn't really care about the quality of plants they get or whether they are the correct plants they want then Ebay is certainly fine. Sure, there are a few good lily sellers at Ebay if one knows how to find them.
Besides, how on earth can you classify AP with Walmart? AP isn't a retailer, it's a forum just like this one!!!

You're really on a roll this time Mr. D!

Stab at what.

Foul mouthed moderators condoning and enabling dishonest and foul mouthed resellers.

Definitely the 'bottom' end

hi there
just my 2 cents worth.
I purchased all my waterlillies over the internet. ( I found when i was newer at all this, I figured did not have the knowledge to purchase such plants on ebay successfully)
I purchased for my smaller pond miniatures that I could not find where I lived, in the nurseries)
Just do your research, a lot of internet sites (if you google it will have depth size etc) and you will do just fine.I was happy with the prices I paid and the plants a year and a half later are doing just fine

mazela (australia)

here it is 2011 and I am reading what appears to a fight between lily people. I need help I just bought 19 lovely water lilies at Lowe's they say to remove the pot from the container and place in 4 feet of water well the leaves are not long enough to reach the top of the water.So do I put them all higher? Maybe on blocks so the leaves reach the top or do they grow to reach the top?

I realize this is an old post, but since it was drug to the top I decided I would correct some accusations about me that I never read back then....

1. I do NOT sell waterlilies

2. American Ponders is a forum like this one they don't sell waterlilies either. I am NOT a moderator of that forum.

3. While Buyorsell888 is my eBay name, it is 100% for buying as anyone can see by looking me up. I am not and never have advertised on Garden Web.
I have nothing to sell.

You CAN get great waterlilies on eBay and on the various trade/sale forums that are part of this and other pond forums.

If you do your research and know who you are buying from and what you are buying. There are eBay/web sellers who participate in the Truly Named program for waterlilies and who sell quality hybrids that won't eat your entire pond for less money than most aquatic nurseries.

Here is a link that might be useful: My eBay Feedback page