Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment Accelerating Probigation of cat tails and Lilies?

As always a big thanks to Omaha for the assist on posting photos.

Photo 1. This is a circular cluster over three seasons old. If you look closely you can see 5 different plantings merging, which was my goal. In each one I place 3-5 rhizomes segments, parts that would generate new plants in a shallow trench, during drawdown when they were dormant. 4 1/2 to 5 feet below full water surface. I kept my fingers crossed they would even emerge the next season. They are completely out of the water around late July, depending on drawdown and late season rain. My goal here was test many things, survivability, spread and clustering. When they fill in I hope to have a 30 foot circular patch. The flowers are huge, about 6-7 inches across. Touch of pink early. Trying out some yellow and peach varieties this season. A winery I know also has severe drawdown, and too many, so I'll try thiers also.

Photo #2 This is a side by side of two planting. One with 3 segments, one with 5, a bit shallower. They are slowly making thier way deeper. Planted at same time, they are also three seasons in, during one of the worst drought in the area, last three seasons. Could not have much worse water and they still made it. They completely die back, out of water, 100% dead growth and rhizomes go dry, but survive. I dug some out and relocated them and am also breeding more in my tubs. The rhizomes are floating today.

Photo 3. A strange fish I have yet to identify. Is it a carp? A salmon? It was hanging out right below the lilies. He whispered to me, and yes it is a he, put me back in the water you fool so you can catch me again. I did. Long guy, weighed in just under 5. Supposedly FLA strain, I left my dna and genetic testing kit at home. Jumped a few times, finessed with a small frog or small worm, plastic.

Any questions let me know.

Here is second better photo of that male, after looking at first photo I had to try and move it back as it was too long. Still too long, and after weighing him I felt bad about having it out of the water so long and released him. His sister would be a fat 8 lb hen but these guys really run. And to be honest, I've caught the big fat hens, and they just come in and look at me. They just want me to hurry and get it over with, like the wife.

Have best early water I have had in at least 4 seasons. I am propagating my lilies in many ways. Some plants I float. I let the rhizome overwinter and little crowns form, or new growth of a new plant. Some have multiple crowns. It is much easier to deal with them floating than unpotting and repotting. Of course these are of the hardy variety.

Next I take a sharp knife and seperate them. These are ready for planting, in a container, in the pond bottom or I float them a bit longer.

I am also working towards more colors. And drawdown surviving varieties. The lilies I have on pond bottoms propagate much differently. They just send rhizomes growing in all directions, and the main rhizomes get real large. The plants in containers split the plastic ones, break clay.

The best way to slow unwanted growth is float and container. The little crowns will take 2 -3 seasons beofre the breakout. The floaters are removed from a drawdown pond where the rhizomes are already dried out and easy to dig up. The market for these is increasing quite a bit. Some plants or varieites retail for $25 planted in a 1 gal container. New varieites like Almost Black command very high prices. I hope fhm like staying in my lily propagation tubs.