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Message |
    
Mike_in_chicago
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 12:49 pm EST : |   
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I have a 'Blue Beauty' nymphaea that I keep in a tiny pot in my tiny pond (and overwinter in the basement). It is one of my favorite plants - very floriferous, especially when fertilized, and the most astounding fragrance, unlike any other flower scent category (rose, honeysuckle, etc.)
Every year a chunk of the root system falls off and little babies sprout from them. I've given some away in the past; any takers out there? You can look up real spread on the web instead of its constricted size in my pond, but it's a scent that will waft around your pond and surprise you.
Mike_in_chicago
- Chicago, IL,
Zone "5b"
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Sunnyday2day
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 04:06 pm EST : |
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Mike, how do you overwinter your 'BB?' I have a basement but what is the procedure? My pond isn't a big one either...125 gal. I love blue and am interested...especially with it being fragrant. :)
Sunnyday2day
- Michigan,
Zone "5"
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Dahlianut
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 05:23 pm EST : |
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Mike- I would love to have one, if you think it will make it over in my pond zone 8. I have 2 others, pink and a yellow one that stay in the pond all winter. We have a huge pond. E mail me.
Linda Washington State Zone 8 |
Mike_in_chicago
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 05:34 pm EST : |
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Tanya, just before the first frost, I cut off all its leaves, sink it into a plastic storage box I got at a big box store, and put it under grow lights. The basement is coolish, around 60-65 in the winter.
Come mid-April, I put in an aquarium heater or put the whole thing on a seedling heat mat. Once it starts putting out more than the winter's tiny dime-sized leaves, I add a little fertilizer.
I tend to have cool springs and summers, and this plant really gets going when water temps are around 70F. So my hardening off process involves sitting it in the sun in a small dark black plastic tub once it gets warmer out. This heats up the water faster than the pond's water will get. After it starts forming bigger leaves, I put it in the pond, though much higher than tropical lilies are recommended, in order to stay as warm as possible.
Instead of pond tabs, I fertilize with fruit tree fertilizer "rods" you can get at many nurseries, the only non-organic thing I do. They contain the same ingredients as pond tabs, and a $4 bag has lasted me about 6 years and counting.
Mind you, even restrained in a 10" pot, this easily spreads about 5' in diameter.
Dahlianut, I'll email you.
Mike_in_chicago
- Chicago, IL,
Zone "5b"
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Karalyn
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 02:50 pm EST : |
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Mike, I would be interested too! I use to overwinter my tropicals in living room and get babies. But having done that for at least 4 years. I've been into clematis and using the space for my other water plants like cannas and umbrella palms, etc.
Karalyn Idaho Zone 6 |
Aninalos
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 07:52 am EST : |
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Hi Mike.
I live in England and grow tropical lilies in my heated pond in my green house. Years ago I had Blue Beauty and well remember it's delicious perfume. I cannot buy this in the UK and the growers in the USA will not usually send here and, when they do, they send little seedlings that suffer greatly in the mail. So, you may be my only hope, as you would have a piece of the tuber, when the right time comes. This is, of course, if you would be willing to send me a piece. I would be very pleased to mail you all your expenses and charges, if you would do this. Very obliged. David
Aninalos
- Hertfordshire,
Zone "None too warm at times"
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Stephie
| | Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 11:34 am EST : |
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You can grow these lillies by seeds too. I get mine from a dealer in Quebec, altho I went for the nelumbo instead. Procedure is a bit of a nuisance but well worth it in the end.
Stephie
- B.C.,
Zone "8"
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