Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Lily Recommendations for a Lily Newbie

I am hoping to try a couple lilies in the pond this year and need to get some ordered. I will be planting the hybrid hardy lilies in hanging baskets off my dock in my 1/4 acre pond (I have crawdads and the hanging baskets should help keep them safe). I have read though many post on the lily topics, but it seems that the plant names have changed or I can't find any that have been suggested (or I'm just a goof and not know my head from a lily blossom). At any rate, I have been looking through Texas Water Lilies and the Pond Mega Store, but cant seem to get a few picked out.

I am not particular with color or style, really. I just want to try some out with the forum's recomendations.

Any hints on what to buy? And, I am open to alternative suppliers too.

Pond Megastore (PM) is in eastern Ohio and Texas water lilies is in TX. Since you are first putting the lilies in hanging baskets, I would first buy medium sized or the small variety lilies. If you are first putting them in a large tub container then you can buy the large lily varieties. Maybe buy one medium and one small for beginners. I looked that PM selection and here are some suggestions: Attraction is easy to grow, Miss Siam is bright pink, Greg's Orange Beauty, and Colorado. For the small lilies at PM look at Perry's Baby Red, Citrus Twist, Little Sue, Pink Sparkle.
PM has mixed reviews - but ordering early is best.
https://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/4522/0/#b

TX Water Lilies
For medium and smalls see Attraction, Colorado, Perrys’ Baby Red, and a dwarf lily is Liou.

PM is more expensive than TXWL but PM has a bigger selection of lily varieties.

Videos are helpful for planting. Remember plant the rhizome at an angle and keep the growing tip a little exposed out of the soil so sprout tip can quickly begin growing. Don't use potting soil as it is not firm enough to keep the buoyant root from floating out of the container. Use garden dirt to first plant the lily. Maybe a little lily fertilizer to get the lily growing well. Then transplant into the pond after 3 to 10 months.
Planting Lily
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDPnM--9it8
Repotting Lilies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rYB2_ZOKo0

Thanks a million Bill! I appreciate that you looked at the websites and made this a "one stop shop". Your response is exactly what I was hoping for (and then some), but too shy to ask for it at that level of detail. Thank you...

I am thinking about hanging 5 gallon buckets, but some of my research kinda suggests smaller containers (2-3 gallon) that are more broad and more shallow...so I have not made up my mind just yet. I may have to cut the top and bottom off a 35 gallon barrel to get there. I don't know if planting them at the pond bottom will happen this year as the crawdads are very ruthless and I may try to leave them hanging through the winter. I do intend to trap more craws out to help the vegitation growth and murkiness of the pond...details I will need to work out while the plants are on order. My zision is to grow them in hanging baskets until they can be split and the craw population is reduced, then start working them into the pond bottom.