Growing Water Lilies Without Soil – What You Need to Know

Water lilies are stunning aquatic plants that can transform a backyard pond or water feature with their beautiful floating flowers. While water lilies are adapted to growing in water, they still require proper soil and nutrients to thrive. This leads many pond owners to ask – can I grow water lilies without soil?

The short answer is no. Water lilies require soil and fertilizer to sustain healthy growth and blooms over the long term. However, there are a few ways to provide soil and nutrients to water lilies planted directly in a rocky pond bottom.

Why Water Lilies Need Soil

Water lilies are not like fully aquatic plants that can live entirely submerged in water. Their roots need access to nutrients and oxygen diffused through soil in order to grow properly

Key reasons water lilies require soil include

• Their roots absorb nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from soil. Without soil lily roots would be starved for nutrients.

• Soil anchors the plants in place at the bottom of the pond. Otherwise they would float away.

• Soil provides beneficial bacteria and allows gas exchange to the roots.

• The soil helps insulate roots and moderates temperature fluctuations.

While a few other aquatic plants like anacharis can survive without soil, water lilies simply will not last long term without the sustenance soil provides.

Trying to Plant Water Lilies Without Soil

Some pond owners experiment with planting water lilies directly into a gravel or rocky pond bottom without any soil at all. Unfortunately, this technique does not work well.

Here is what happens when you try to grow water lilies without soil:

• At first, the lily may appear healthy, surviving on the nutrients it stored from being grown on land. But within a few weeks, the plant will show signs of nutrient deficiencies without soil to feed from.

• The lily will likely detach from the pond bottom without soil to anchor it, causing it to float and shift around randomly.

• Without insulation from the soil, the lily’s roots are subject to temperature changes in the water, which can damage the plant.

• Gas exchange cannot occur normally through just rocks or gravel. The lily’s roots essentially suffocate.

• No new flowers will form without the nutrition supplied by fertilizers mixed into the soil.

While it may survive for a short time, an unplanted water lily will ultimately deteriorate and die if left to grow directly in gravel without proper soil.

Providing Soil for Water Lilies

The good news is there are a few effective options to provide soil and nutrients when planting water lilies in ponds with rocky bottoms.

Use Planting Baskets

Special aquatic planting baskets designed for water lilies allow you to add soil around the plant’s roots while keeping it stable in the pond. The open basket bottom allows gases to diffuse through.

Create Soil Pockets

If planting in gravel, dig out pockets in the rocks and fill with quality aquatic potting mix before placing the water lily’s root ball into the hole.

Use Fertilizer Tablets

Adding slow-release root fertilizer tablets into the gravel or rocky substrate will provide nutrients, though not a soil medium. Use tablets made specifically for pond plants.

Top Dress with Soil

After situating the lily in rocks, top dress the root area with a 1-2 inch layer of soil. Periodically replace it as it disperses in the water.

While water lilies can’t grow solely in water, with a bit of creativity you can provide the soil and nutrition they need even when planted directly into gravel or rocks. With proper care, your water lilies will thrive and delight you with their colorful blooms throughout the season.

Frequency of Entities:
water lily – 15
soil – 18
plant – 8
pond – 5
root – 6
gravel – 5
rock – 4
nutrient – 5