Materials you will need:
Water plant baskets – Available in the shop, near the pond pumps
Garden Blend Soil – available from the Landscape Supplies section in bulk or bags
Fine White Sand – available from the Landscape Supplies section in bulk or bags
Pebbles – available from our Landscape Supplies section in bulk or bags
Fertiliser Pellets – Available in the shop, near the pond pumps
Step 1
If you are repotting old pot-bound plants, pull them out of their pots and cut them into smaller pieces. Make sure you have some root ball attached to each one. The foliage will also need to be pruned in the same way you would prune other plants. The cuttings will break down beautifully in the compost. Water Lilies are much the same, but don’t divide them too much as it is possible to damage the corms. Re-potting lilies should be done every 2 to 3 years in winter when the plants are dormant. This needs to be done to ensure flowering.
Step 2
Place the soil about half way into your water plant basket. These prevent pond plants from being invasive. They also keep the soil around the plant roots and allow water flow to supply nutrients and oxygen. This aeration of the soil prevents it from becoming anaerobic (depleted of oxygen) and foul smelling. Planters are great for use with all marginal water plants, submerged plants and water lilies. Choose sizes accordingly. Pack the soil down hard, place the plant along with one fertiliser tablet, (two tablets for larger plants like water lilies) then top up with soil. Allow a few centimetres for the remaining materials and press down firmly to prevent air pockets.
Step 3
Place approx. 2cm of the Fine White Sand on the soil, pack down and then a layer of pebbles, placing heavier ones closer to the main stems. Having a mixture of small and large pebbles works best, the larger ones stop fish digging up your lilies at the root. Water in and you’re ready to re-position your plants and watch them take off again!
