How to make my water lilies flower?

Growing tips to make waterlilies flower:

1. Sun:

• Waterlilies are very sun dependent so should be placed in as much sun as possible.

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 and Madame Wilfron Gonnere like to be nearer the surface than other waterlilies of a similar spread.
• Dwarf and miniature lilies only need 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.
• In Summer the open, flat leaves supplied on the plant should be placed so they lay on the water surface.

3. Splashing water:

• Do not place waterlilies near splashing water such as a waterfall, fountain or pump outlet.

4. Fertiliser:

• The Pond waterlily has a heavy nutrient requirement and needs a boost from aquatic fertilizer every year - add  XL fertilizer balls to the basket of an established 3 litre plant in Spring.
• Add one small fertilizer growth ball to a 1 litre basket of a Dwarf or Miniature waterlily in Spring.

5. Repotting:

• Your Pond waterlilies may be congested so need repotting. 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'

Use of chemicals is a problem for waterlilies:

• Chemicals have an inhibiting affect on the growth of pond plants even when they claim to be harmless.
• In killing algae and blanketweed they are killing a form of plant life.
• They may not kill the plants you are trying to grow but they will stunt their growth rate and alter their growth patterns.
• Waterlilies and oxygenating plants will be worst affected by chemical use as their entire structure lives in/under the water.