How to Keep a Water Lily Over Winter

Tropical water lilies produce attractive floating leaves and flowers that add color to backyard ponds. The large leaves also shade the water, providing a hiding place for fish and preventing algae blooms. Unlike hardy lilies, tropical lilies cannot survive frost or frozen water. The plants require winter protection if you want to grow them as perennials in the pond. Keeping the plants in a suitable indoor storage area keeps the water lilies alive and healthy.

Bucket
Grow-light fixture

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the water-lily pots from the pond once water temperatures drop to 60 degrees F. Temperatures cooler than this can damage or kill these tropical plants.
- 2
  Set the water-lily pot in a 5-gallon bucket. Add water to the bucket until the top of the pot is at the same depth in the bucket as it was in the pond.
- 3
  Place the bucket in a warm room. Keep the temperature inside the water near 70 degrees F at all times.
- 4
  Set a grow-light fixture 6 inches above the top of the lilies. Leave the lights on for 12 hours daily, as the plants cannot receive enough natural light in winter.
- 5
  Move the water lily back to the pond once the water temperature reaches 65 to 70 degrees F in the pond, and only after all frost danger is past in spring. Resume regular fertilization after moving the lily back outdoors.

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