5 Tips to make waterlilies flower:

1. Sun:

• They are very sun dependent so it takes maximum sun to make waterlilies flower well.

2. Water depth:

• Each named variety has a depth requirement - some Pond waterlilies will grow well with 36" of water over the 3 litre basket, others will struggle with more than 24" of water over the top of the basket.
• Double flowering Pond waterlilies such as Nymphaea Gonnere like to be nearer the surface than other waterlilies of a similar spread.
• Dwarf and miniature lilies want 6" of water over the top of the 1 litre basket they are supplied in.
• The crown of the plant (at the top of the basket) needs to be below potential ice depth but need not go down to its final depth immediately.

3. Splashing water does not help waterlilies flower well:

• Do not place waterlilies near splashing water such as a waterfall, fountain or pump outlet.
• Constant splashing rots the leaves being splashed.
• The plant replaces these leaves before making flower buds.

4. Fertiliser is essential to make waterlilies flower :

• The Pond waterlily needs nutrient so give a boost from aquatic fertiliser regularly.
• Add  XL fertilizer balls to the basket of an established 3 litre plant in Spring and again in June to extend the flowering period.
• Add one small fertilizer growth ball to a 1 litre basket of a Dwarf or Miniature waterlily in Spring and again in June.

5. Repotting:

• Pond waterlilies can become congested so need repotting to flower better.
• A sure sign is if the leaf does not lie flat on the surface but stands upward out of the water.
• See 'Repotting a waterlily' to use the correct loam soil in the new basket.

Use of chemicals is a problem for waterlilies:

• Chemicals have an inhibiting affect on the growth of pond plants and waterlilies even when they claim to be harmless.
• In killing algae and blanketweed they are killing a form of plant life. It is hard for them to distinguish between good and bad plants.
• They may not kill the pond plants and waterlilies you are trying to grow but they will stunt their growth rate and alter their growth patterns.
• Waterlilies and oxygenating plants are worst affected by chemicals as they are completely submerged in or under water.